The mission of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Program is to assist practicing physicians, pharmacists, advanced practice providers, and other health care professionals in the translation, diffusion, and application of evidence-based knowledge to improve patient safety and enhance clinical outcomes. 

Purpose

The purpose of the Duke Office of CME is to collaborate with Duke faculty, clinical departments, and other units to identify educational needs and to design, implement, evaluate and document educational conferences and initiatives.  Duke CME's core services include:
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  • Certifying learning activities for physicians and pharmacists that meet Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Essentials, Criteria and Standards for Commercial Support. 
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    • Tracking credit for physicians and other healthcare providers who attend Duke CME-certified activities. 
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    • Assisting the School of Medicine, Duke University Health System, and Duke faculty meet regulatory requirements (ACCME, American College of Surgeons, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Inspector General, Joint Commission, and National Committee for Quality Assurance).
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    • Providing consultation on educational processes and accreditation issues.
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The content areas are inclusive of all areas of contemporary primary and specialty practice including leadership and management skills.  Content is presented when it is appropriate to physicians and other healthcare professionals and of benefit to patients or to the public health.

The target audience includes practicing physicians, pharmacists, advanced practice providers, and other healthcare professionals within the Duke University Health System, Duke University affiliated hospitals and communities in the state of North Carolina and, when appropriate, a national and international audience of these healthcare professionals.

The types of activities include: regularly scheduled conferences (Grand Rounds); regional, national, international symposia and conferences; teleconferences; and enduring materials (e.g., online learning, monographs, CD/ROMs, etc.).  The scope of these activities involves the body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of healthcare to the public.

Expected Results

The expected results are to:

  • Assist physicians and healthcare professionals in gaining competency and improving performance in order to become better able to provide higher quality care in order to enhance the health status of the population.
  • Assist in the dissemination of new medical knowledge.
  • Assist in the maintenance of professional certification and licensure.
  • Collaborate across the continuum of medical education.
  • Collaborate on the design of interdisciplinary educational strategies to improve patient safety and to facilitate patient-centered care.
  • Contribute to the CME profession through service, education, leadership training, and research.Enhance clinician leadership within the Duke University Health Care System.Enhance the quality of the educational process through consultation and documented compliance with accreditation standards/criteria.
  • Establish an internal peer review and monitoring process for CME certification and compliance.
  • Expand the use of technology in documentation of physician/pharmacist participation.
  • Link the American Board of Medical Specialties competencies (patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice) and/or Institute of Medicine competencies (provide patient-centered care, apply quality improvement, utilize informatics, work in interdisciplinary teams, employ evidence-based practice) into activities.
  • Link to the Joint Commission core measures and patient safety goals in designing activities.
  • Optimize appropriate prescribing behaviors.Partner with other organizations to study clinician behavior change(s).
  • Promote the practice of evidence-based medicine.Improve the health and health awareness of the many communities that we serve.
  • Develop and present activities in a manner that is culturally competent and as environmentally sustainable as feasible.