In order to ensure the highest quality education is offered by the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), we must develop a standard set of expectations for our CME planners, directors/editors, peer reviewers, presenters/faculty and staff These expectations will be communicated with the primary editor at the start of his/her term as well as throughout the process.
Planner Expectations (planners are generally a committee reviewer, director, editor, and staff):
- Serve as key contributor to completing the Certification Request Form
- Complete Disclosure and Attestation form
- Adhere to ASNC COI resolution requirements for planners (recusal and attestation)
- Resolve COI for Director/Editor (a committee reviewer role)
- Adhere to all ACCME policies and procedures
- Ensure activity is needs-based; works with staff to develop and approve professional practice gap, and overall needs statement based on evidence based needs
- Develop Overall Goal Statement and course objectives
- Ensure that the activity format and method are appropriate for the course objectives, desired results, and target audience
- Determine how to evaluate the CME activity and how the goal(s) were met
Activity Director/Editor Expectations:
- Agree to the expectations, policy statements, and timeline set forth by ASNC for course directors
- Complete Disclosure and Attestation form
- Adhere to all ACCME policies and procedures
- Abide by all ASNC conflict of interest resolution mechanisms for your participation (recusal, attestation, peer review)
- Ensure that all activity planning, implementation and evaluation is free from commercial bias
- Provide content for the Certification Request Form
- Develop the course agenda
- Review and update standard timeline as needed in conjunction with ASNC staff
- Select the course presenters
- Presenters should not have unresolvable conflicts
- Conduct COI resolution for presenters (which includes peer review and attestation): Review faculty disclosure and attestation forms. Resolve conflicts of interest (course directors are expected to adjust assignments or disqualify faculty based on conflicts)
- Advance Peer Review of materials to ensure content validity[1] and no bias and document the process. [Annual Meeting] designate a session moderator to provide onsite peer review of each session, which entails: listen for bias, interject to eliminate the perception of bias for learners, and document any resolutions taken; advance peer review high risk presenters
- Attend planning conference call as needed
- Set clear/firm expectations for the full course faculty
- Review the course timeline
- Monitor the progress of course material development
- Contact faculty who have not completed their materials by the first deadline
- Provide pre and post test questions when applicable and/or instruct presenters/authors to submit posttest questions and objectives
- Provide evaluation on the process, and the course, and provide suggestions for improvement
Faculty/Author Expectations
- Agree to the expectations, policy statements, and timeline set forth by ASNC and the course director for faculty
- Agree to Presenter Release Form and Copyright Permission Policies
- Complete Disclosure and Attestation form
- Abide by all ASNC conflict of interest resolution mechanisms for your presentation
- Attend the planning conference call as needed
- Expectations for the course will be reiterated
- Faculty assignments will be set/reviewed
- Timeline will be reviewed
- Next step will be set (deadlines for slides and questions) and agreed to
- Provide education that is non biased, free of influence from commercial interests, balanced, and based on best available medical evidence. Content must also be HIPPA compliant.
- [Live] Develop a presentation of power point slides, which begins with disclosure to learners
- Provide all relevant citations within the presentation or in a summary at the end of the presentation
- Submit all questions and presentation materials by the assigned deadlines
- Adjust materials as requested by the course director or peer reviewer
- Attend the course and present materials
- Provide an evaluation of the process and course including items for future improvement
Peer Reviewer
- Complete disclosure and attestation form
- Recuse from reviewing content related to products or services by any conflicts of interest
- Review CME content for balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor. Reviewer must ensure no bias and content validity.
- Document the peer review process and determine if changes in content are needed.
- Work with ASNC staff and content contributor to ensure required changes are implemented.
ASNC CME Staff Expectations
ASNC staff are expected to coordinate all non-educational and educational aspects of each educational program. One or several staff may be assigned to each program.
- Have working knowledge of accreditation requirements and ensure adherence to these requirements by all activity stakeholders, and throughout each phase of the activity planning process
- Maintain a course binder tracking the progress of the course, including all relevant documents and decisions
- Handle all logistics related to scheduling the facility, food /beverage, AV etc. associated with an on-site course
- Develop a clear and complete timeline for all aspects of the program and modify as necessary in conjunction with the course director
- Invite all planners and presenters on behalf of the course directors
- Collect all disclosures and attestation forms for planners, presenters, reviewers and any other persons affecting content
- Work with COI reviewer to ensure completion of the COI resolution process. Communicate chosen COI resolution mechanisms to planners, presenters, reviewers, etc. Document the process.
- Provide disclosure and attestation information, and preliminary risk assessment to the course director or committee reviewer with COI resolution guidelines.
- Develop an agenda for planning conference call(s); schedule call with required participants and document minutes
- Send reminders to the faculty as deadlines approach
- Communicate with the course director as to the progress of the faculty in submitting disclosures, adhering to COI resolutions, and returning required materials
- Collect all course materials, ensure they are HIPPA compliant, and submit to peer reviewer
- Handle logistics, marketing, registration, evaluation process and issuing of CME/CE’s
- Process travel reimbursement
- Provide evaluation summary to planners and directors/editor
- Provide suggestions for improvement for the next course (or all courses in general)
- Document all ACCME and AMA requirements and provide a completed accreditation file within 90 days of the activity