By Credentialing Staff at HCSWNY
Keeping up with advances in medicine and changes in the delivery of care is critical to a physician’s continuing professional development. Most state medical boards require mandatory Continuing Medical Education (CME) for renewal of physician licenses. New York State currently does not have this requirement but that does not mean physicians practicing in New York State do not have other requirements they must abide by regarding CME.
Hospitals and some insurance plans require a physician to maintain CME credits in the appointment or credentialing cycle. For example, Kaleida Health requires a physician to provide a list of CME credits earned from the date of the last reappointment which is usually two years. Univera has a three year recredentialing cycle and requires a physician to complete 50 CME credits annualized (150 CME credits may be spread out over the three year period from the date the physician was last reappointed).
The reality is physicians often don’t think of these hospital and insurance plan CME requirements as important enough to result in action being taken against privileges or insurance plan participation. A physician can be sanctioned for non-compliance. Does this really happen and how often? Random audits of CME do occur. Once a physician has attested that he/she has met the CME requirements for insurance plan participation it is important to keep adequate records of all CME credits within the renewal cycle in case you are selected for an audit.
Today, there are so many ways to obtain CME in an already hectic schedule. The American Medical Association has a combination of online classes, live events and courses that cover a broad range of professional interests. Journal CME is another option. Physicians can earn CME credits by reading timely, peer-reviewed articles in the JAMA & Archives Journals, and then passing a short online quiz on the relevant subject.
Lastly, if your malpractice carrier is MLMIC (other carriers may provide the same) a risk management course is available to you that provides up to 6 CME credits as well as a two year 5% premium credit.
Take the time now to get your CME credits up to date and maintain adequate records.
Repercussions for not maintaining CME could have a financial impact on your practice.
