It is time to study the costs and benefits of regulating continuing medical education in the United States

Abstract

There is a dual system of continuing medical education (CME) accreditation in the United States, with developmental milestones dating back four decades. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) approves national providers of CME. State medical societies (SMS) approve intrastate providers. The ACCME recognizes SMS to approve intrastate providers of CME. Both types of accredited providers, national and intrastate, designate the same credit, American Medical Association, Physician Recognition Award Category 1 Credit, which is trademarked by the AMA. The ACCME collects data to help the AMA monitor use of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. The AMA is a nationally accredited provider of the ACCME. The AMA retains the right to act unilaterally to remove the privilege of any organization to designate Category 1 Credit. Although intrastate providers typically are charged through SMS, both types of providers, national and intrastate, pay fees for accreditation services provided by the ACCME. Select fee increases of the ACCME for 2009 through 2011 are estimated at $4.3M. Actions taken in June 2009 by the AMA House of Delegates suggest the value of accreditation and credit systems in the US should be studied with regard to costs and benefits that might further align CME with patients' interests and physicians' incentives.