Continuing Physician Professional Development

AMA renews CME credit agreement with Canadian organization

The continuing medical education (CME) credit agreement between the AMA and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has been renewed through 2016.

The agreement dates back to Jan. 1, 2010, and is based on the determination by the AMA Council on Medical Education that the Royal College has a CME process that is equivalent to the AMA's, as outlined in "A Global Template for Designation of CME Credit in the Context of CPD."  As modified in this renewal, select activities approved for Royal College Maintenance of Certification credits are eligible for conversion to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

The agreement covers national specialty societies and simulation programs that have been approved by the Royal College as accredited continuing professional development providers. Activities in the following categories are eligible for conversion:

• Section 1, live face-to-face group learning
• Section 1, web-based synchronous
• Section 1, web-based asynchronous
• Section 3, self-assessment programs (designed to assist the specialist to identify gaps in knowledge)
• Section 3, simulation activities

Learn more about the program and other AMA agreements for earning AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for participation in select international educational activities.

CMS issues Sunshine Act final rule on payments from drug manufacturers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a long-anticipated final rule that requires manufacturers of drugs, biological and medical devices to publicly report payments and other "transfers of value" with physicians and teaching hospitals.

"Physicians' relationships with the pharmaceutical industry should be transparent and focused on benefits to patients," AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, said in a statement. "Our feedback during this rulemaking process was aimed at ensuring the new registry will provide a meaningful picture of physician-industry interactions and give physicians an easy way to correct any inaccuracies."

Under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act final rule, manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals and medical supplies covered by federally administered health care programs are required to report any payments and transfers of value they make to physicians and teaching hospitals. In addition, any ownership or investment interests physicians or their family members have in the manufacturers must be disclosed to CMS. The agency will post most of the information on a public website.

Despite some provisions that continue to raise concerns, the final regulation contained important changes to address concerns raised by AMA and the federation of medicine. Most significant, the final regulation excludes from reporting certified and accredited continuing medical education (CME) and expands the time afforded physicians to challenge inaccurate, false and misleading reports.

Learn more through an AMA web page with detailed information on the types of payments, transfers of value and ownership interests covered by this reporting requirement.

Data collecting will begin Aug. 1, and CMS will publish data collected from August through December on the new public website by Sept. 30, 2014. Manufacturers, group purchasing organizations, teaching hospitals and physicians will have an opportunity to review and correct reported information before it is made public, CMS said in a news release.

AMA resources for you

• Learn about the AMA Section on Medical Schools.
• Learn about the AMA Council on Medical Education.
• Learn more about patient safety in medical education.
• Follow the AMA medical education and professional ethics Twitter pages.
• Read the latest issue of American Medical News.