Introduction to the On-Site Planners
Guide
Welcome to the Aurora Continuing Professional Development’s (CPD) office On-Site Planners Guide! We
are excited you are here to use this reference tool. We are pleased to provide this simplified tool to
help you navigate the world of on-site planning for a certified CME activity. We know this role may
seem overwhelming at times and we want to put your mind at ease as you charter some potentially
unfamiliar territory. Included in this guide are some easy-to-follow steps to help you successfully
function as an On-Site Planner!
The
role isPlanner
critical as it helps ensure that Aurora maintains its accreditation by the ns.
TheOn-Site
Role ofPlanner
the On-Site
This role will coordinate their assigned CME activities, with direction from the Continuing Professional
Development Office, the Course Director and the Planning Committee. This individual will serve as a
liaison between all stakeholders mentioned above. The On-Site Planner will coordinate details of the
activity, such as scheduling the room and the presenter, and troubleshoot any aspects of the CME
activity. Post-Activity documentation is another critical step in the process requiring significant
attention of the On-Site Planner.
The Steps in the Planning Process
Step 1 –
Assist in the
Two-Step
Application
Process
Step 2 Manage
Logistics &
Documentation
Step 3 Manage &
Attend Activity
Step 4 – Submit
Post-Activity
Documentation
Important Terms to Know
Application
A written request for approval of a CME Activity
CME
An acronym that stands for Continuing Medical Education. It is necessary for Physicians to fulfill
CME requirements by earning 30 credits every two years to maintain licensure and certification.
On-Site
Planner
The designated person assigned to support an RSS CME activity and it’s Course Director.
Preplanning
Worksheet
A prerequisite to completing the Application which requires the Course Director to identify
Practice Gaps and Underlying Needs for education.
RSS
Regularly Scheduled Series – Weekly or monthly CME activities, primarily planned by, provided
by and presented to the Provider’s professional staff. RSS certified activities are approved for
three years.
The Step-by-Step Guide to On-Site Planning
Step 1 Coordinate the
Application
Process
Tools You Will Need:
Preplanning Worksheet and the CME Application
Responsibilities at Step 1
Step 1

Assist Course Director in the Application Process

Coordinate and Attend Planning Committee Meetings

Act as a liaison between the CPD office & Course Director

Provide support to the Course Director
Assist Course
Director with the
Preplanning
Worksheet &
submit to CPD
office
Approved
?
Y
N
Revise &
Resubmit
Tools Needed
Pre Planning Worksheet
(It is not the responsibility of the on-site
planner to identify a practice gap for the
activity. Reference: CME Policy – Course
Director’s Role and Responsibilities in a
certified CME Activity)
CME Application
d:\106749076.doc
Complete the
Application
with Course
Director &
Submit to the
CPD office
Approved
?
N
Revise &
Resubmit
Y
Approval
Letter
Received
Location of Tool
Contact the CME Specialist to have it
emailed to you
Emailed from CPD Office
Step 2
Step 2 –Manage
Logistics and
Documentation
Tools You May Need:
Venue Planning Checklist, Grand Rounds Checklist (See CME Website)
Responsibilities at Step 2
 Begin to prepare and gather mandatory documents
 Manage venue related tasks – equipment, refreshments
 Manage marketing of program
 Prepare participant materials
Coordinate Details and
Logistics – Create and Send
Documents
Step 2
Facilitate Preparation of
Activity Materials









Presenter Invitation Letter
Presenter Confirmation Letter
Requesting and copying handouts and slides
Signed Disclosure Forms
Grant Submissions
Evaluations
Exhibitor Requests / Invoices
Presenter Agreement
Flyers





PowerPoint Presentation, if applicable
Handouts, if applicable
Sign-in Forms & Evaluations
Evaluations & File Tray
Disclosure to the Audience
Audience Disclosure
document contains the names
of those who have a commercial
interest to report based on their
signed disclosure. Obtain signed
disclosures from the course
director, planning committee,
Produce promotional flyers
faculty & anyone controlling


On-Site Planner Collects
Mandatory Forms &
Documents for return to CPD
Office









content. For Case Conferences,
Presenter Invitation Letter
also those making clinical
Presenter Confirmation Letter & Signed
recommendations or
Disclosure
Handouts and slides
participating in clinical
Signed Disclosure to the Audience
discussions.
Letter of Agreements
Grant Request Letters
Gaps / Needs Assessment
Financial Documents (travel receipts, dietary bills)
Evaluations
Exhibitor Requests / Invoices
Final Budge
Most forms are available on the CME website
3|Page
Step 3 –Manage
and Attend
Event
Tools You Will Need:
Evaluations, Sign-In Sheets, Audience Disclosure (See CME Website)
Responsibilities at Step 3
•
Attend the Activity and serve as
Point of Contact for venue staff,
presenters, and participants
•
Troubleshoot issues as they
arise throughout the activity
•
Distribute and collect all needed
forms / documentation
o
Set out Sign-in Forms
o
Place Evaluation Forms
out
o
Place out a tray for
collection of Evaluations
o
Distribute participant
handouts

Blank Disclosure Forms for
anyone who may not have
completed one

Disclose to Audience
Tools Needed
Evaluation
Sign-in Sheets
Audience Disclosure Slide
d:\106749076.doc
Location of Tool
iConnect / Find a Website / CME Clinical
Events / Planners / Forms
Step 4 –Complete
Post-Activity
Documentation
RSS Mandatory Post-Activity Documentation Checklist,
Evaluation Summary (on CME website, also look for a detailed Guide to Using the
Tools:
RSS Post Documentation Checklist )
Instruction: Depending on the type of activity held, submit the corresponding information from the chart below.
Reminder: Post Activity files are due to the CPD Office within 30 days of the activity completion.
If a Case Conference, submit these Documents
DOCUMENTS
TO SUBMIT
Documents to include:
o Practice Gap documentation
o Document with type of case
 N/A --if submitted annually or quarterly, such as
Breast Conference
Practice
Gaps/Needs
Assessment
If a Grand Round, submit these Documents
Documents to include (as many as are available):
o Meeting minutes
o Reports
o Emails
o Surveys
Documents to include :
o Disclosure Forms unless submitted with
application
o Disclosure to Audience and/or verbal
disclosure
o Peer review if needed
Speaker/Faculty
Documentation
Documents to include (all required):
o Presenter invitation letter, email or note
o Presenter confirmation letter/email
o Presenter CV
o Disclosure forms unless they are a repeat
speaker with no new disclosure
o Documentation of disclosure to audience
and/or verbal disclosure
o Presenter Agreement
o Peer review if needed
Documents to include :
o Flyer
o Handouts/PPT slides are optional
Miscellaneous:
Flyer/Brochure
& Handouts/
Slides
Documents to include :
o Flyer
o Handouts/PPT slides are optional
Documents to include :
o Original Travel receipts, invoices, dietary
bills, copies
o Staff time (salary)
Financial Report
Documents to include :
o Original Travel receipts, invoices, dietary
bills, copies
o Staff time (salary)
Documents to include :
o Sign-in sheets or Evaluations –must
include # of credits claimed
o Evaluations, if used as a means
to track attendance
Documents to include :
o Summary of Evaluations: include once in
Jan., April, July & Oct
Documents to include :
o If Commercial Support applies include all
of these that you have: Correspondence,
Letter of Agreement, Grant Request
Letter, Copy of check or deposit memo
Documentation
of Attendance
Documents to include :
o Sign-in sheets or Evaluations –must
include # of credits claimed
o Evaluations often used as a
means to track attendance
Documents to include every time:
o Summary of Evaluations
Program
Evaluations
Commercial
Support
Documents to include :
o If Commercial Support applies include all
of these that you have: Correspondence,
Letter of Agreement, Grant Request
Letter, Copy of check or deposit memo
Documents to include :
Exhibitors
Documents to include :
o Signed exhibitor request form (CPD office
o Signed exhibitor request form (CPD office
must sign prior to activity)
must sign prior to activity)
o Check copy
o Check copy
The Post-Activity Documentation Checklist should be filled out and placed in the file as the first document, before submitting to
the CPD office.
5|Page
Post-Activity Electronic Submission of Files
Include the RSS Post-Activity Documentation File Checklist & every
piece of documentation in an electronic folder
 Save your entire RSS folder, when it is complete, to the “CME
Electronic Files Q drive” within 30 days of activity
 To access, follow this path:
o My computer
o ahcdata on ‘ahc.root.loc\Data’ (Q:)
o Save your folder into the appropriately labeled folder on
the “Q” drive
o Label your folder with the activity date in this format:
AMCK July 29, 2012
d:\106749076.doc
It’s no longer
necessary to mail
the files to the
CPD office