Purpose of Continuing Medical Education
The overall goal of continuing medical education is to improve patient care. The physician’s concern for this outcome is expressed through a process of life-long learning: from experience, professional relationships, reading, independent study and participation in organized educational activities. Planned CME activities developed in accordance with accreditation criteria enhance the physician’s professional growth by giving systematic attention to learning needs.
Definition of Continuing Medical Education
The California Legislature defines Category 1 continuing medical education as follows:
Continuing medical education activities that serve to maintain, develop or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance that a physician or surgeon uses to provide care, or improve the quality of care provided for patients, including, but not limited to, educational activities that meet any of the following criteria:
- Have a scientific or clinical content with a direct bearing on the quality or cost-effective provision of patient care, community or public health, or preventive medicine
- Concern quality assurance or improvement, risk management, health facility standards, or the legal aspects of clinical medicine
- Concern bioethics, professional ethics
- Designed to improve the physician/patient relationship
The definition expressly excludes:
Educational activities that are not directed toward the practice of medicine, or are directed toward the business aspects of medical practice, including, but not limited to, medical office management, billing and coding, and marketing.
Examples of Courses Eligible for Category 1 Credit According to California Legislature
CME committees may consider courses related to the following as eligible for Category 1 credit:
- Quality assessment and clinical outcome measurements
- Risk management relative to preventive care
- The evolving role of physicians in managed care, (i.e., leadership, management/administration, policy development)
- Various organizational models - how they work; steps required to develop a model and physicians’ roles in them
Examples of Courses Ineligible for Category 1 Credit According to California Legislature
CME committees should not consider courses related to the following as eligible for Category 1 credit:
- Medical office management in integrated healthcare delivery/group practice arrangements
- Marketing of integrated delivery systems/group practice arrangements
- Understanding corporate structure from a financial or legal perspective
If you have any questions about course content that is eligible for Category 1 credit, please contact the IMQ/CMA CME Accreditation Program Office.