Accreditation Decision / Terms
Accreditation Decisions, Types & Duration (97-03-G)
Initial Accreditation
Criteria
Awarded to an initial applicant following the formal review, a site visit, and accreditation award by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation which determined that there is evidence that the institution/organization has the resources and capability to substantially meet the Essential Areas, Elements and Policies.
Length
Two (2) years with a Progress Report at the end of one year.
Effective Date
The date of the action taken by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation.
Restrictions
An institution/organization granted initial accreditation may NOT jointly sponsor CME activities with a non-accredited entity during the period of initial accreditation.
Accreditation
Criteria
Awarded to a previously accredited institution/organization following the formal review, a site visit, and accreditation award by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation which determined that there is evidence that the institution/organization has the resources and capability to substantially meet the Essential Areas, Elements and Policies.
Length
Two (2), Three (3), Four (4) or Six (6) years.
Effective Date
The date of the action taken by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation.
Restrictions
In accordance with policies of the ACCME, an intrastate accredited provider of CME should be serving the needs of a local audience, with no more than 30% of physician participants from outside Ohio and its bordering states.
Note
Four years should be the Astandard@ period of accreditation for programs that meet all of the Essential Areas, Elements and Policies and 6 years accreditation is reserved for programs which are truly exceptional. (Reference ACCME Policy 86-B-01)
Probationary Accreditation
Criteria
Granted to a previously accredited institution/organization following the formal review, a site visit, and accreditation award by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation which determined that there is evidence that the institution/organization has one or more deficiencies of sufficient degree that accreditation in accordance with the essential Areas, Elements and Policies is jeopardized.
Length
One (1) or Two (2) years with periodic Progress Reports addressing all deficiencies and concerns by a date established by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation. During the period of probationary accreditation, the accredited provider shall take the necessary steps to correct the identified deficiency or deficiencies. Following a subsequent re-survey, the institution/organization with a probationary accreditation must be awarded accreditation or Aaccreditation withdrawn. The provider may not be awarded Probationary Accreditation for a second consecutive period.
Effective Date
The date of the action taken by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation.
Restrictions
An institution/organization awarded Probationary Accreditation may NOT jointly sponsor CME activities with non-accredited entities. In accordance with policies of the ACCME, an intrastate accredited provider of CME should be serving the needs of a local audience, with no more than 30% of physician participants from outside Ohio and its bordering states.
A provider may receive no more than four years accreditation immediately following probation. (Reference ACCME 97-C-03)
Accreditation Withheld
Criteria
Given to an initial applicant following the formal review, a site visit, and accreditation award by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation which determined that the institution/organization is not in substantial compliance with the Essential Areas, Elements and Policies. Accreditation Withheld may be awarded to an initial applicant without a site visit.
Effective Date
The date of the action taken by the OSMA Focused Task Force on Accreditation. Thereafter, the program may re-apply for initial accreditation no earlier than one year following the last action of the task force.
Accreditation Withdrawn Voluntarily
Criteria
Given to a provider previously accredited that wishes to withdraw its accreditation status for whatever reason. This award follows a review by the Focused Task Force on Accreditation.
Effective Date
The effective date will be the date of the notification from the accredited provider.
Accreditation Withdrawn Involuntarily
Criteria
Given to a provider previously given probationary accreditation or initial accreditation following the formal review, a site visit, and action by the Focused Task Force on Accreditation which determined that the institution/organization continues to be not in substantial compliance with the Essential Areas, Elements and Policies. This award may also be granted without a site visit for a program which fails to comply with provisions for maintaining accreditation following an award of probationary accreditation, including failure to submit a satisfactory Progress Report by the established due date documenting correction of identified deficiencies.
Effective Date
The effective date will be one year from the date of the action taken by the Focused Task Force on Accreditation. Thereafter, the program may re-apply for initial accreditation no earlier than one year following the last task force action.
(ACCME 85-C-01, 93-D-01, 96-A-01, 96-B-04, & 98-B-09)
Compliance Findings (02-10-A)
The OSMA considers a finding of Partial Compliance to be less than an acceptable standard
for the continuing practice of CME by OSMA accredited providers. Subsequent to initial accreditation, providers must be able to demonstrate that they are improving their practice of CME in any areas found to be in less than Compliance. Subsequent to initial accreditation, failure to improve in areas found to be in less than Compliance would be cause for a Noncompliance finding in OSMA Element 2.5. A finding of Noncompliance in Element 2.5 could be cause for a change in accreditation status.
Providers who receive probation at re-accreditation receive the standard four-year term of accreditation. Failure to demonstrate compliance in all elements within no more than two years will result in non-accreditation. A provider=s demonstration of compliance in all elements will result in its ability to complete its four-year term with a status of accreditation.
For providers who meet the criteria for accreditation with commendation, but have an element(s) in noncompliance, their status of accreditation can be changed to accreditation with commendation, and their term extended by two years (for no more than a total of six years from the original accreditation decision), once they have demonstrated through a progress report compliance with the element(s) that were previously in noncompliance.
(ACCME 02-B-19, 02-B-20, 02-B-21)