AAFP Credit System News        

Stay up to date on the ever-changing environment of CME!

Learn how the AAFP Credit System is involved in making the jobs of CME providers easier so they can continue providing quality education for family physicians and other members of the health care team.

• Changes to Application Fees Launch June 1, 2021
• AAFP Adopts New ACCME Standards
• Eligibility Requirements Call for Comment
• New Credit Application Now Available
  
• Questions About Producing Online Education
• COVID-19 Resources for CME Providers
   

Changes to Application Fees Launch June 1, 2021

Each year the AAFP Credit System releases a survey for customer feedback. Customers have repeatedly asked for lower enduring material application review fees, and we’re happy to share that these fees will be lowered by 25% beginning June 1, 2021.

A breakdown of the new pricing structure is outlined below. We hope this information helps our CME providers as you create your budgets. Fees last changed in 2014.

*New price category.

Aligned blended learning price categories with enduring material and journal fees.

Additionally, based on feedback we are working on a live to enduring material option for repurposed content. We’ll provide more information on that option as it becomes available.

Questions about these changes? Don’t hesitate to call our team at (800) 274-2237 or email us at cmecredit@aafp.org. 

AAFP Adopts New ACCME Standards

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has officially released the new ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education (the Standards), formerly known as the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support.

The Standards, which are one component of the AAFP’s eligibility requirements, are designed to ensure that accredited CME provides health care professionals with accurate, balanced, evidence-based information that supports safe and effective patient care. These revisions will clarify, and modernize the Standards, and ensure continued relevance and effectiveness in the changing health care environment. The AAFP was involved in the initial development of the Standards in 1992 and these recent updates.

Based on a thorough review and input from our CME providers, the AAFP is continuing to adopt the new Standards. All activities submitted to AAFP on or after January 1, 2022 must comply with the new Standards. We will also provide resources to assist with the transition, such as webinars, at a later date.

Questions about these changes? Call our team at (800) 274-2237 or email us.  

Eligibility Requirements Call for Comment 

The AAFP Credit System, overseen by the AAFP’s Commission on Continuing Professional Development (COCPD), is also proposing revisions to its eligibility requirements for AAFP CME credit.

Share your feedback on the proposed revisions here no later than January 30, 2021. The proposed revisions are intended to increase the transparency of requirements within the credit application as well as to expand the eligibility for non-clinical topics.

Note, this call for comment is on the AAFP Credit System’s eligibility requirements and does not include the Standards. 

Questions about these changes? Call our team at (800) 274-2237 or email us.  

New Credit Application Now Available

CME providers have been asking for a streamlined credit application, a more easily navigated dashboard, and other system enhancements through surveys and focus groups. The AAFP Credit System took that feedback to heart and has created a new and improved credit application. The new credit application features:

• A simple pathway, an advanced pathway, and an ALSO/BLSO pathway. (Gone are the days of sorting through six plus activity and sub-activity types to try to figure out which application to complete.)
• The CME Provider Dashboard has a similar layout but has been revamped to include a highly requested search box that will more easily allow providers to locate their applications.
• The Activity Summary page has been upgraded as well and now features an estimated review by date, allows providers to more easily locate invoices, and edit certain fields, such as session location and marketing information, at any time.

Login to the CME Provider Dashboard.

Questions About Producing Online Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty about future CME activities, and many providers are now looking to produce online (in real-time) or enduring (recorded) education.

To help you navigate these uncharted times, the AAFP Credit System has compiled frequently asked questions about producing online education. View FAQs.
 

COVID-19 Resources for CME Providers

We're Here to Help

The AAFP Credit System is committed to supporting CME providers through the COVID-19 crisis.  

Activities Impacted by COVID-19:
If you’ve already submitted your credit application, we are offering the following options:

1. Activities in a pending review status: The activity can be canceled and a full refund issued.  
   
   
2. Activities in an approved status:
   - If your activity is being rescheduled, we can adjust the dates within the credit application.
   - If your activity has been postponed and the reschedule date is unknown, we can change the status to canceled and re-activate the application when new dates are selected. 

If you are converting your activity from Live to Enduring, we can convert your application to an Enduring Material without any additional fees.

Reminder: Live Online is Still Considered Live 
Live online activities are considered live and are still eligible for CME credit under either the “In-Person, Live (could include online)” or “Online Only, Live” session formats. This includes any live online activities that meet our eligibility requirements regardless of the technology used (Zoom, Webex, Google Hangouts, etc.).

Contact Us
If changes are needed to your credit application, or you would like to discuss your options for an upcoming activity, please contact the AAFP Credit System team at 800-274-2237 or cmecredit@aafp.org.