Regularly Scheduled Series (Grand Rounds)
Annual Regularly Scheduled Series (RSS) are expected to be planned, implemented, and evaluated in compliance with the ACCME Essential Areas and Elements, the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, and CEPD Policies and Procedures. All RSS are expected to meet the ACCME Definition of an RSS and are expected to meet the AMA definition of continuing medical education.
A course is identified as an RSS when it is planned to have 1) a series with multiple sessions that 2) occur on an ongoing basis (offered weekly, monthly, or quarterly) and 3) are primarily planned by and presented to the accredited organization’s professional staff. Examples of activities that are planned and presented as a regularly scheduled series are grand rounds and tumor boards.
Each series equals one activity. The cumulative number of hours for all sessions within a series equals the number of hours for that activity. Each physician is counted as a learner for each session he/she attends in the series. (Example: Internal Medicine Grand Rounds is one activity that meets for one hour each month. That series is counted as one activity with 12 hours of instruction; if 20 physicians participate in each session, the total physician participants for the series would be 240).
Initial Planning and Requirements
RSS are certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ on an annual basis. Each clinical department is expected to complete and submit a Continuing Education Application along with required documentation prior to the start of each fiscal year. Applications are reviewed for completeness by the CME coordinator in the UT Graduate School of Medicine office of Continuing Education and Professional Development (CEPD) and forwarded to UT administration for final approval.
Budgeting and Financial Obligation
The only fee associated with RSS is a transcript fee of $20 per person will be charged at the end of the series.
Activity Promotion
Series activities are typically promoted by means of email, flyer, newsletter or web site. A promotional material template should be submitted with each annual CME credit application. Actual promotional materials must be submitted to the CEPD, which has final approval on all templates for promotional materials.
The prescribed accreditation statement must appear on all activity material including promotional materials.
The University Of Tennessee College Of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The University Of Tennessee College Of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of __ hour(s) of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Speakers
The majority of RSS are conducted by faculty and local speakers. Sponsoring clinical departments make arrangements for speakers. Clinical department coordinators are responsible for obtaining all required forms (Disclosure, Letter of Agreement, Expense, etc.) from speakers scheduled for RSS. The course director assures that all appropriate information is disclosed to the audience.
Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships
All individuals with control over content for activities certified for credit must inform learners prior to the beginning of an activity whether relevant or no relevant financial relationships exist. When disclosing financial relationships to the learner, the individual's name, the name of the commercial interest(s) and the nature of the relationship with the commercial interest must be given. When there is no relevant financial relationship, learners must be informed that no financial relationship exists. Disclosure must never include trade names or product group messages.
Speakers, medical directors, planning committee members or individuals having any control over activity content may not receive payment directly from a commercial interest for honoraria, travel or out-of-pocket expenses.
Required Forms
Course directors and/or coordinators will be provided with UT-designed forms that will assist with compliancy issues.
Each activity file must contain copies of (1) attendee lists; (2) evaluation summaries; (3) activity financial reconciliation; (4) speaker honorarium contracts; (5) financial disclosures; (6) all promotional material; (7) planning information; and (8) letters of agreement with commercial interests when applicable. These files are maintained for six years.
Series Evaluation
It is important to demonstrate that evaluation data are used in planning CME activities. Standardized evaluation forms are provided by our office. Each evaluation form should be adjusted to meet individual activity goals and needs. If another evaluation method is used for an activity, a sample must be provided with the initial activity application.
Program Evaluation
As an accredited provider, UT periodically reviews: (1) the extent to which our mission is being achieved by our educational activities; (2) the extent to which educational objectives are being met; (3) the quality of the instructional process; and (4) participants’ perception of enhanced professional effectiveness. Documentation for activities within a series is monitored quarterly by CEPD personnel.
The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine
Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, Tennessee 37920
Phone - (865) 305-9190
FAX - (865) 305-6823
ContinuingEducation@utmck.edu
University of Tennessee
College of Medicine (UTCOM)
CME Mission Statement
Purpose
The University of Tennessee College of Medicine (UTCOM) is committed to improving patient care outcomes for the citizens of Tennessee through continuing medical education efforts that promote lifelong learning for physicians. UTCOM continuing medical education activities will assist physicians in increasing their knowledge and skills to enable measurable results to occur in competence, performance, and patient care outcomes.
Content Areas
UTCOM has established a framework for continuing medical education based on the core competencies established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) efforts. Those competencies include patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. In addition, content is drawn from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Aims including patient care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.
Target Audience
The primary audience of the UTCOM includes its faculty, the medical staffs of its affiliated teaching hospitals, the physicians of Tennessee, and other health care professionals. Beyond its primary audience, the UTCOM plans and conducts continuing medical education activities that attract participants on a regional and national level.
Type of Activities
UTCOM provides a variety of continuing medical education opportunities ranging from primary care to sub-specialty courses, seminars, regularly scheduled series, enduring materials, and performance improvement projects. The educational design and method for each continuing medical education activity is determined by the identified practice gap, content and instructional strategy, and expected results.
Expected Results
The UTCOM accredited program of continuing medical education is focused on fulfilling its mission of improving patient care outcomes for the citizens of Tennessee. While relying on a framework established by the ACGME, ABMS, and IOM, continuing medical education activities are expected to produce measurable results in physician competence, performance, and patient care outcomes. The University of Tennessee College of Medicine recognizes that some outcomes are immediately measurable, while others result from repeated, long-range educational interventions by multiple sources.