Activity Audits
The AAFP Credit System may conduct an audit on your CME activities that have been awarded AAFP credit.
This audit process does not aim to be punitive but rather, it helps ensure that the eligibility requirements are being upheld. While we do occasionally conduct complaint audits, our audits are generally random and aim to be educational. During the audit process, we’ll identify possible areas of improvement and provide feedback on how to improve processes for future activities, so that the CME activities align with our requirements. These eligibility requirements are in place to help create unbiased education from commercial interests, ensure that the content is evidence based, relevant to the scope of family medicine and much more.
The AAFP will contact you by email if your activity is selected for an audit. Be sure to keep your files for at least one year, since an activity can be audited up to one year from the date of the activity approval. Learner participation documents will need to be kept longer.
The AAFP reserves the right to have a live monitor present at any activity approved for AAFP credit and/or perform a post-activity audit.
Random Audits
Random audits help to ensure compliance with AAFP Credit System rules, including the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support.
The AAFP may perform a random audit on any activity that has been awarded AAFP credit, up to one year from the date of the activity approval. The AAFP will contact the CME provider by email if the AAFP accredited activity is selected for an audit.
Random Audit Process
CME activities to be audited are identified by an electronic report that randomly selects CME activities certified by the AAFP. The CME provider supplies all CME activity documentation outlined in the AAFP audit checklist.
CME providers must respond to the audit request by the deadline listed on the audit checklist document.
Complaint Audits
Complaint audits are conducted when the AAFP is made aware of concerns about any CME activity awarded credit by the AAFP.
Complaint Audit Process
- The CME provider notification and documentation process is the same as that of a random audit. The AAFP communicates audit findings to the CME provider within 60 days of receiving the audit materials.
- The AAFP communicates recommendations and/or required actions.
- The provider must attest to resolve any areas of non-compliance and implement any requirements.
Live Audits
Live (i.e., on-site) audits may be random, or they may be prompted by one or more of the following circumstances:
1. Suspicion of industry influence
2. Pattern of issues with the CME provider’s applications for CME credit
3. Learner/faculty complaint
The AAFP may perform a live audit on any activity that has been awarded AAFP credit.
Live Audit Process
- The CME provider is notified in advance if an AAFP Credit System auditor will be present at their activity.
- Auditors are exempted from registration fees.
- Auditors do not claim CME credit for courses they attend in their auditor role.
- Results of live audits are shared with the CME provider upon completion.
AAFP Audit Checklist
The information from this checklist must be submitted within the Audit Report or within the audit dashboard.
- If this activity was developed in collaboration with another organization, please provide a description of the collaboration including the division of roles and responsibilities and any letters of agreement between the organizations.
- All CME activity documentation and content (including agenda, brochure, syllabus, handouts and PowerPoint presentations, etc.).
- If this was a Performance Improvement or Point of Care activity, or if the activity included Translation to Practice® (t2p® ), please include documentation of how learners engaged in each of the required steps.
- AAFP credit statement as printed in the activity materials, as published on any websites, etc.
- AAFP CME seal, as printed in the activity materials, as published on any websites, if applicable.
- Activity planning documentation, including how the following were identified/defined: professional practice gaps, needs assessment, core competencies, learning objectives, and learner engagement.
- Activity and learner evaluations.
- Description of faculty selection process.
- CME provider’s Disclosure and Identification of Conflict of Interest policy requiring disclosure of all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest that the faculty, CME planners, and provider have pertaining to the topic(s) of the CME activity and the completed content controller spreadsheet.
- Evidence of mitigation and resolution of any identified COI(s).
- Disclosure of COI to learners prior to the beginning of the activity.
If your activity had commercial support also include the following:
- Disclosure of commercial support to learners.
- Letter(s) of agreement with all commercial supporter(s) of this CME activity.
- Policy and procedures governing honoraria and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses for content controllers.
- Receipt and expenditure of commercial support.
- If a social event was held in conjunction with this CME activity, please provide a copy of the description/invitation, or other method, used to notify learners of the event.
The AAFP reserves the right to perform a post-event audit and/or
have a live monitor present at any AAFP accredited CME activity.
Eligibility Suspension
When an activity is found non-compliant in more than one area in an initial audit, the AAFP COCPD Executive Committee reserves the right to suspend a CME provider’s eligibility to apply for AAFP credit.
Failure to resolve areas of non-compliance identified in an audit will result in an automatic suspension of a CME provider’s eligibility to apply for AAFP credit.
Indication that a CME provider has not followed through on its commitment to resolve areas of non-compliance with reasonable effort will result in automatic suspension of a CME provider’s eligibility to apply for AAFP credit.
| Compliance Criteria | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Compliance | Provided all required documents and procedures meet AAFP criteria and/or ACCME Standards. | |
| Substantial Compliance | Provided all the required documents. Minor modifications would bring procedures into total compliance with AAFP criteria and/or ACCME Standards. | |
| Noncompliance | Documentation indicates several areas where improvement is needed or one or more major areas of noncompliance. |
Questions?
Contact AAFP Credit System
cmecredit@aafp.org
(800) 274-2237