Guide to Jointly Planning and Preparing a CME Activity
CME Activities
Southern Regional Area Health Education Center is accredited by the North Carolina Medical Society to
provide continuing medical education for physicians. As a CME provider, we are obligated to closely
adhere to all Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) standards, including the
ACCME Standards for Commercial Support (SCS). CME activities are designated as Direct or Joint
Sponsored events. Non-profits, not-for profits and for-profits may enter into a joint sponsorship with SRAHEC to plan and present a CME activity.
Direct Sponsor
A Direct Sponsor is any program solely sponsored by Southern Regional AHEC.
Joint Sponsor
A Joint Sponsor is a non-ACCME accredited organization that partners with an ACCME
accredited organization to plan and present a CME activity.
Co-Provided
A co-provided program is one that is provided by two ACCME accredited organizations.
All CME/CE activities jointly sponsored with SR-AHEC must meet the mission of SR-AHEC and
serve an educational need as verified through a needs assessment. SR-AHEC may decline
entering into a joint sponsored agreement for reasons, such as, staffing and scheduling
difficulties, competition with other AHEC educational programs or target audiences, or
educational activities that pose a financial risk.
Mission of Southern Regional Area Health Education Center CME Program
The Southern Regional AHEC CME mission is to provide quality continuing medical education in
which content is based on the best available evidence structured to meet the needs of the nine
county’s physicians and other health care professionals. This is accomplished through a variety of
learning experiences, including live conferences, clinical discussion, enduring materials, internetbased education, practice-based improvement activities, and others as needed. The expected
results of the CME program are to maintain and enhance competence and performance of
physicians in the nine- county region, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.
Guidelines, Roles and Responsibilities for CME Accredited Program
CME Planning
A member of the CME team must be involved in the initial planning for the activity and serve as a
member of the planning committee.
Application
Upon completion of CME planning, an application must be submitted. The application and associated
items must be received by SR-AHEC at least 2 months prior to the date of the proposed activity. A
completed application packet includes the following:
1.
2.
3.
Application and Planning Guide
Course Director/Medical Director’s Agreement
Disclosures - for all planning committee members and speakers
* SCS = Standards of Commercial Support Guidelines
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4.
5.
6.
7.
CVs for all speakers
Supporting Documentation for Needs Assessment
Full documentation of all program budget revenues and anticipated expenditures
(including honorarium amounts)
Promotional Materials
CME Application Fees
Non-Recurring Activities (per Activity Fee)
CME Application Fee - $750.00
Credit Management Fee - $10/person – contracted programs; $15/person - open
Regularly Scheduled Series (Annual Fees)
Weekly Series - $2600
Monthly Series - $1000
Bimonthly/Quarterly Series - $800
New - $500
Renewal - $250
Coordination Fee $100/program
Additional fees are charged for SR-AHEC to develop marketing materials. SR-AHEC offers a menu of
conference management services. Discuss these additional services and costs with your CME
representative.
Agreements
The role and responsibilities of the course director is discussed in a planning meeting with a CME
representative. A signed Course Director or RSS Medical Director Agreement is required for each
planned activity. Likewise a Memorandum of Understanding is signed by the joint sponsoring agency for
single activities. This MOU clearly delineates the roles and responsibilities of the joint sponsor and SRAHEC.
Educational Brochure/Marketing
A draft of the program brochure must be submitted as part of the CME application packet. SR- AHEC
must review and approve all materials associated with the activity prior to their release. No marketing
materials may be posted or distributed until the program is approved, including organization and/or
professional websites. Once these materials have been reviewed and approved by SR- AHEC, no further
changes may be made.
Funding/Budget
A joint sponsor may not solicit or receive funds on behalf of SR-AHEC (*SCS 3.4). All paperwork,
including grant applications, must be submitted by SR-AHEC as the accredited provider. SR-AHEC
generally will not review or accept any programs that are solely funded by grants from commercial
interests. The CME staff will work with sponsors to derive registration fees or to recommend options for
support from non-commercial entities.
The sponsor must submit a projected full budget for each CME/CE activity for review and approval. SRAHEC will review the projected budget to ensure that adequate resources have been devoted to the
development of an activity consistent with meeting the activity’s objectives. SR-AHEC may decline a joint
sponsorship arrangement for an activity if resources are inadequate.
* SCS = Standards of Commercial Support Guidelines
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Honoraria
Course directors and planning committee members are not paid honoraria for reviewing content, time
spent on planning the educational activity, moderating sessions or facilitating panel discussions (SCS 3.7,
3.8, 3.9). Course directors may only receive honoraria if they present at the activity.
Speakers, course directors or planning committees members involved in a CME/CE activity may not
receive payment directly from a commercial interest for honoraria, travel, or out-of-pocket expenses.
Appropriate Use of Commercial Support
Commercial Support is defined as any financial or in-kind contributions given by a commercial interest to
pay all or part of the costs for a CME/CE activity.
Commercial Interest is defined as any proprietary entity producing health care goods or services, with the
exemption of non-profit or government agencies and non-health care related companies.
A commercial interest cannot take the role of a non-accredited partner in a joint-sponsorship.
Commercial interests cannot be involved in planning, faculty selection, marketing or reviewing of the
planned CME/CE activity (SCS 1.2). This includes providing meals for planning meetings.
The source of all support from commercial interests must be disclosed to learners prior to the
activity. When commercial support is ‘in-kind’ (e.g., provision of equipment), the nature of the support
must be disclosed.
Appropriate Management of Associated Commercial Exhibits
Arrangements for commercial exhibits or advertisements cannot influence planning or interfere with the
presentation (SCS 4.1). A commercial interest can exhibit regardless of providing an educational grant.
 Exhibit fees shall be separate and distinct from educational grants (they are not considered
commercial support). Exhibit fees are used to support the educational activity. Any unused funds
can remain with the joint sponsor or with SR-AHEC (based on the LOA). Exhibit fees can be
accepted by the joint sponsor. Exhibitors must complete and sign the SR-AHEC Exhibitor
Reservation Form and the Exhibitor Letter of Agreement. A full accounting of all exhibit money
must be reported to SR-AHEC.
 Exhibit amounts will be negotiated by the Joint Sponsor and approved by SR-AHEC. Exhibit fees
shall be standard for that activity and may not exceed $3,000. Exhibitors shall have equal access
to purchasing exhibit space (first come-first serve). Any exhibit amount above the listed $3,000
must be approved by SR-AHEC.
 All exhibitors must be in a room or area separate from the educational activity and the exhibits
must not interfere, compete, or influence in any way the learning experience prior to, during, or
immediately after the CME/CE activity.
 Commercial interest representatives may attend CME/CE activities at the discretion of SR-AHEC
for the direct purpose of the representatives’ own education; however, they may not engage in
sales or marketing activities while in the space or place of the educational activity. Any
commercial interest representative interested in receiving CE credit for the educational activity
must pay the appropriate registration fee.
 Commercial interest representatives may not be the sole distributors of CME/CE activity
brochures.
* SCS = Standards of Commercial Support Guidelines
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