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.
AAFP Credit System Releases Revised Eligibility Requirements
The AAFP Credit System, overseen by the AAFP’s Commission on Continuing Professional Development (COCPD), is publishing revised eligibility requirements for AAFP CME credit after conducting a call for comment with CME providers and the CME community. The revisions are intended to increase the transparency of requirements as well as to expand the eligibility for non-clinical topics. These revised eligibility requirements will go into effect in January 2022.
As a reminder, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) released the new ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education (the Standards) back in December 2020 (previously 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. The new Standards will clarify and modernize the Standards, ensuring continued relevance and effectiveness in the changing health care environment.
The AAFP was involved in the initial development of the Standards in 1992 as well as these recent updates. The AAFP is continuing to adopt the new Standards. Implementation of the new Standards will begin in January 2022, alongside the launch of the revised eligibility requirements.
There are resources available on the new Standards on our website. There will be a webinar in the fall to discuss the revisions to the eligibility requirements. We will also provide additional resources at a later date.
Questions about these changes? Call our team at (800) 274-2237 or email us.
Reduced Application Review Turnaround Times
It’s official! The AAFP Credit System has lowered its CME credit application review turnaround times from 20 to 15 business days.
We want to help make your jobs easier as CME providers so that you can focus on creating and providing certified and relevant CME to family physicians and other members of their healthcare team. The AAFP Credit System has worked diligently to lower its CME credit application turnaround times, a decision made after hearing feedback from you and your peers through our annual survey.
Questions about these changes? Call our team at (800) 274-2237 or email us.
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 continue to add resources to assist with the transition.
Questions about these changes? Call our team at (800) 274-2237 or email us.
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
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:
- Activities in a pending review status: The activity can be canceled and a full refund issued.
- 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.