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Accreditation of
Mainpro M-1 Programs to be run Nationally
Effective September
01, 2007, accreditation for all Mainpro M-1 programs, to be run nationally, will
be administered through the CFPC National office, as part of a shared process,
in which final accreditation will be granted by the CFPC Chapters.
Accreditation Process for Mainpro
M-1 Programs, to be run nationally:
All applications for these programs must
be sent to the CFPC National office.
All applications must be accompanied by a
national ‘Needs Assessment’, representing each of the 5 CFPC-defined
regions within Canada.
The planning committee for each program
must include CFPC Family Physicians from each of the 5 CFPC regions across
Canada (British Columbia/Alberta; Saskatchewan/Manitoba; Ontario; Quebec;
and Atlantic Canada).
Where French-speaking Physicians are
included in the target audience, the CPD Provider will submit French
translations of the program to the CFPC National office. This material may be
submitted once the English version has been deemed acceptable – i.e. re no
further changes or revisions.
All English reviews will be conducted by
two English-speaking CFPC reviewers.
When the audience will include
French-speaking Physicians, the final French materials will be sent to a third
French-speaking Quebec reviewer, through the CFPC National
office.
All program content must be provided with
the application, including all slides. These will be reviewed for ‘balance
and bias’.
The Department of Continuing Professional
Development of the CFPC will notify the CPD provider, along with all
(relevant) provincial CFPC Chapter offices when a program review has been
completed, and deemed acceptable.
Applicants must provide all materials at
least 8 weeks in advance of their program; failure to provide complete
materials will delay process.
The fee for this review will be $700.00,
paid by the CPD provider to the CFPC National office.
Turn-around Time - CME Providers have a
30-day time period in which to respond to reviewers’ or Chapters’ requests for
additional information, material, or revisions. If the provider does not respond within this time
frame, reapplication will be required, including a new application fee.
When an activity based on the reviewed
program is to be run within a given province, the CPD provider will apply to
the corresponding provincial CFPC Chapter for an ‘ethical review’, and by
paying $100.00
For purposes of this ethical review, the
CPD provider will provide the CFPC provincial Chapter Office with all program
promotional materials, invitations, correspondence to potential attendees, and
all other published announcements /publicity in print or
electronic media, websites, etc.
The above-mentioned materials will be
provided in the language(s) appropriate to the intended audience.
Specifically, the Chapter ‘ethics review’
will address the logistical components of the program – meals, entertainment
or other social events associated with the program, location, cost for
attendees, speakers, – and each will be screened for suitability,
in keeping with the CFPC’s accreditation standards and ethical guidelines,
along with those of Rx&D and the CMA.
Ultimately each CFPC provincial Chapter
will be responsible for granting or denying the final accreditation of the
National Mainpro M-1 program.
Applicants must wait up to 5 business days
for a CFPC provincial Chapter’s final accreditation.
Once the CFPC National Office has deemed a
program acceptable, but prior to receiving final accreditation from the
Chapter Offices, the applying CPD Provider may state the following on all
correspondence, invitations, and promotional materials: “This program has been
reviewed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and is
awaiting final accreditation by the College’s ____Chapter”.
Final accreditation will provide for the
statement “This program has been accredited by the College of Family
Physicians of Canada, and the ____Chapter, for up to ____ Mainpro-M1
credits.”
Mainpro M1
Provincial Accreditation
This section describes all the information necessary to apply for
accreditation for Mainpro-M1 credits for conferences, courses, and workshops. Mainpro-M1
accreditation is administered through the CFPC’s provincial chapters. Copies of all application materials
are submitted to the chapter in any province where the activity is to be held.
Conferences, courses and workshops must meet the Mainpro-M1 accreditation
criteria.
The following documentation must be submitted for any
conference, course or workshop. All of this information is required to assess
how well the activity meets the Mainpro-M1 accreditation criteria. If
accreditation is granted, the application form will be signed and a copy returned to the applicant.
If not accredited, reasons will be provided. In case of uncertainty, conflict, or
unusual circumstances, the chapter reviewer can consult with another program
reviewer (even in another province), the chapter’s representative on the National
Committee on Continuing Professional Development / Continuing Medical Education (NCCPD/CME),
the chair of the NCCPD/CME, or the CFPC Director of CPD/CME.
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Accreditation application form
The program coordinator must submit a completed Mainpro-M1 Accreditation
Application Form. These are available from the CFPC national office and
from all provincial chapter offices. The CFPC member must complete and sign
the section on the form certifying his or her involvement.
- Information
The following information must be provided in a letter
or other format. It relates to the accreditation criteria and will provide the
information necessary for the reviewer to make an informed
decision.
1. What was the involvement of the CFPC member in
planning the program?
The member must describe his/her involvement to the
CFPC. This should consist of one of the following:
·A detailed
statement written directly in the space provided on the accreditation
application form.
· A letter from the member.
· A CME program
worksheet, used to facilitate the planning of the program, which the member
could complete.
· A copy of the minutes of the planning committee
meeting(s) that indicates involvement in discussions
2. How were
the topics selected?
3a. How were the learning needs of the
participants considered?
3b. How were the learning needs used to
develop the learning objectives?
4. How did you communicate with
the speakers regarding the format and learning objectives they were to
address? What kind of instruction were they given?
5a. What
is the format of the sessions? How will the participants be able to interact
with each other and the speakers? What time is built in for questions
and answers?
5b. Describe the venue (location, rooms,
environment).
5c. How are the learning sessions scheduled in
relation to any social activities.
6. Describe the process to be
used to evaluate the program.
· If an evaluation form is to be
used, please attach a copy.
· If the evaluation of the sessions
involves a discussion rather than the use of forms, how will this be done and
how will the feedback be used?
7a. What are the costs to the
participants, including registration fees, education materials, and social
events?
7b. Fully describe any
outside funding sources.
7c. Describe how potential conflicts of
interest (including relevant financial affiliations)
will be disclosed to the participants.
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Copy of the printed program
The printed program must include the following
information. A draft version is acceptable as long as there will be no
substantial changes.
· Content/sessions
(The sessions for which
accreditation is being requested should be clearly indicated. Only educational
sessions are eligible. Refreshment, exhibit, meal, other social breaks, and
written tests are not.)
· Learning objectives.
· Duration of
program or sessions.
· Speakers.
· Funding sources
- Administration fee
An
administration fee of $300.00 is payable to the CFPC chapter in the province
where the program is to be held or to the national office for any application
that should be submitted there. This fee does not guarantee accreditation and
is non-refundable.
Other important information
Reviewer
The application will be assessed by a reviewer designated by the chapter. If
a provinical reviewer is him/herself involved in the planning or implementation
of a program, he/she will not be involved in its acceditation review. An alternate
accreditor from the same or a different province (preferably within the same
region) will review it.
Jurisdiction
Mainpro-M1 accreditation is program and site specific. Mainpro-M1 credits are
not transferable by providers or participants from an accredited program to
one which is not. Further, program reviewers cannot assign Mainpro-M1 credits
outside their area of jurisdiction. This applies to both CFPC chapter reviewers
and to university CME office personnel.
Deadlines
Applications should be received at least 8 weeks
prior to the date of the course to be guaranteed an accreditation decision on
time. The CFPC reserves the right to deny
accreditation to any program because of a late application. The CFPC will not
consider accrediting programs that have already occured .
Turn-around Time
CME Providers have a 30-day time period in which to
respond to reviewers’ or Chapters’ requests for additional information, material, or
revisions. If the provider does not respond within this time frame, reapplication will
be required, including a new application fee
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Notice of accreditation
No reference may be made to the CFPC or its
accreditation system prior to the actual notification that credit has been
awarded. Do not state "CFPC credit applied for" or similar wording. Upon
written confirmation from the CFPC that a program has been accredited, program
providers may indicate this on program materials. This notice must be
presented exactly as follows:
This program meets the accreditation criteria
of The College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been accredited for
up to_____ Mainpro-M1 credits.
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Partial accreditation
The CFPC is prepared to accredit individual sessions within a larger CME activity.
The accreditation criteria need only apply to the relevant sessions. This applies
also to hospital rounds. Organizers are required to inform participants which
sessions have been accredited.
Certificate of participation
It is the responsibility of the CME provider to provide participants with a
record of participation, which could be in the form of a certificate or letter.
It is recommended to include the member’s name, the program’s name, date and location,
and the number of approved Mainpro-M1 credits. Members should maintain these records
in the event that the CFPC requests them.
Programs held in the United States
See the section below on the American Academy of Family Physicians for
information on the accreditation of CME held in the United States.
Programs held outside Canada or the United States
Any CME program being planned by a Canadian
organization that is to be held anywhere outside Canada or the U.S. must be
submitted to the national office of the CFPC for review.
Canadian
university CME offices are exempt from this. They can assign Mainpro-M1
credits to programs they organize themselves outside Canada or the U.S. They must inform the national office of the
CFPC of all such programs (preferably by completing and submitting the top part
of the accreditation application form).
Program audit
All programs are subject to audit by the NCCPD/CME, the CFPC Department of CME,
or by a provincial chapter CME committee. Failure to comply with any of the
Mainpro accreditation criteria or process requirements will result in denial
or withdrawal of accreditation . In the case of withdrawal of accreditation,
it is the responsibility of the CME provider to inform all participants that
they cannot claim Mainpro-M1 credits, even if the accreditation is withdrawn
after the activity has been held.
Appeal process
Any decision to deny accreditation to a CME program can be appealed by activity
providers. The request must be made in writing to the appropriate CFPC chapter
or national office. A full justification of why accreditation should be granted
should be provided with any helpful additional documents. In case of disagreement,
the decision of the NCCPD/CME will be final.
Accreditation by other organizations
As a means of streamlining the accreditation of programs, the CFPC has accreditation
agreements with other CME organizations. These accreditation agreements apply
only to Mainpro-M1 credits, not to Mainpro-C credits.
Canadian university CME offices
Canadian university CME offices have the authority to assign Mainpro-M1
credits to activities in which they have had significant input into the planning,
organization, development and implementation as long as they meet the criteria for Mainpro-M1
accreditation. In order to have this authority, a university CME office must
be accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of CME (CACME). This is an independent
national accrediting body with representation from multiple national Canadian
medical organizations whose sole mandate is to evaluate the university CME offices.
The Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec
The Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ) has
given the authority to the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du
Québec
(FMOQ), the Quebec Chapter of The College of Family Physicians of
Canada, the four Quebec universities CME offices and the AMLFC to grant Category
1 credits. The College of Family Physicians of Canada accepts these credits as
equivalent to Mainpro-M1 for events held within that province.
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) has a Maintenance of Certification program
for Canadian specialists. Canadian national specialty societies are accredited
by the RCPSC to put on accredited CME activities which can be claimed in Section
1 of the RCPSC program. Members may request individual consideration for Mainpro-M1
credits for these.
The American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family
Physicians (AAFP) is the
accrediting body for CME in family medicine in the U.S. The CFPC and the AAFP
have a bilateral reciprocal accreditation agreement.
CME activities
held across the Canada-U.S. border are accredited according to the nationality
of the primary target audiences regardless of where the providers are located.
The programs will be reviewed according to the criteria of the accrediting
organization.
A CME activity is to be accredited by the CFPC if the
primary target audience is Canadian. If it is to be held in Canada by an
American provider, this is done through the appropriate CFPC Chapter office.
If it is to be held in the U.S., it is done through the CFPC national office.
The CFPC will inform the AAFP of all such programs.
The Canadian
university CME offices are exempt from this. They can assign Mainpro-M1
credits to programs they organize themselves in the U.S. as long as the
primary target audience is Canadian. They must inform the CFPC national office
of all such program. The CFPC will then inform the AAFP.
A CME activity
is to be accredited by the AAFP if the primary target audience is American.
This is true if it is to be held in the U.S. by a Canadian provider or if it
is to be held in Canada by an American provider. The AAFP will inform the CFPC
of all such programs held in Canada.
AAFP members who attend any CME
program accredited by the CFPC for Mainpro-M1 or Mainpro-C credits can claim
AAFP Prescribed credit. Providers who would like to promote their programs to
AAFP members can remind them of this. Upon written confirmation from the CFPC
that a program has been accredited, the following notice can be used in
program materials but must be presented exactly as indicated:
Members of the American Academy of Family Physicians are eligible
to receive up to_____ Prescribed credit hours for attendance at this
meeting due to reciprocal agreement with The College of Family Physicians of
Canada.
CFPC members who attend any CME program accredited by the
AAFP for Prescribed credit can claim Mainpro-M1 credits. Providers who would
like to promote their programs to CFPC members can remind them of this. Upon
written confirmation from the AAFP that a program has been accredited, the
following notice can be used in program materials but must be presented
exactly as indicated:
Members of The College of Family Physicians of Canada are eligible to receive up to_____
Mainpro-M1 credits for attendance at this meeting due to reciprocal agreement with
the American Academy of Family Physicians .
Mainpro-M1 re-accreditation
policy
If a Provider wishes to have a program reaccredited
for Mainpro-M1 credits the following must be provided:
1. A new
application with appropriate fee.
2. A needs assessment or
current literature review showing that the previous program still
addresses the needs of the target audience and its content is
current.
3. A summary of evaluations and comments from
previously run programs.
The
program content does not need to be resubmitted for peer review unless
substantial changes have been made, added, or requested by the reviewer.
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