How To Build And Deliver A Great CME Course

Create & Deliver A Great CME Course

Healthcare professionals are always looking for informative, effective continuing medical educational (CME) courses to meet their annual CME credit requirements. 

Have you ever thought about turning your medical expertise into a profitable venture? 

Creating a Continuing Medical Education (CME) course could be your pathway to passive income while making a meaningful impact in healthcare education. 

Whether you're a medical institution  or a specialized practitioner, your knowledge is valuable. This guide will walk you through the essentials of developing an accredited CME course, from selecting your topic to navigating accreditation requirements.

Whether you're a seasoned CME educator or new to the process, essential factors must be considered. In this guide, we'll walk you through the critical  steps to build and deliver a great CME course that will attract lifelong learners and earn commendation for your organization.

Who Needs CME Credits?

Continuing Medical Education (CME) serves an array of health professionals, including Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Doctors, Physician Assistants (PAs), and many more. 

The only way to help your staff and team members perform at their highest level is to offer CME courses that address specific topics your team members need to know to provide great care to their patients. 

These programs are crucial in keeping healthcare workers abreast of the latest clinical practices, medical advancements, and regulatory changes, helping them deliver the best patient care.

• Nurse Practitioners: NPs often pursue CME in advanced diagnostic techniques, pharmacology, patient management, and emerging trends in specific specialties such as family, pediatric, or geriatric care.

• Physicians: CME helps doctors stay informed about advancements in their specialty areas, such as cardiology or neurology. It also provides updates on new diagnostic tools and treatment methodologies.

• Physician Assistants: PAs often need CME in areas like medical ethics, patient-centered care, updated diagnostic methodologies, and disease management.

• Psychologists: CME is a valuable resource for psychologists to understand emerging trends in mental health, new therapeutic techniques, and patient management strategies.

• Pharmacists: CME provides updates on new drug information, potential drug interactions, and changes in pharmaceutical regulations.

Private practices and healthcare facilities of all sizes should prioritize CME courses to their staff. This encourages professional development, ensures up-to-date medical knowledge, fosters high-quality patient care, and promotes regulatory compliance, thus elevating the standard of services provided.

CME is not just something that your team “has to do,” because you can use CME courses to improve the efficiency of your medical office and provide better care to your patients. 

What Makes A CME Course Effective?

As we discussed in the previous section, your staff and patients can benefit from ongoing CME courses. Many healthcare facilities offer in-house CME courses to help train their staff, and many of those facilities will customize their courses based on the needs of their team. 

To make your courses as educational as possible, your educators should include recent scientific developments, be tailored to the learner's field of practice, and employ interactive teaching methods to foster active participation. 

Moreover, the course should be designed to improve competence and performance in the workplace, ultimately leading to enhanced patient outcomes. Regular assessments can ensure knowledge acquisition and application, validating the course's effectiveness.

Here are some points to keep in mind as your team leaders put together CME courses for your team:

• Accreditation: A great CME course is accredited by institutions like The Accreditation Council For Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) or The American Medical Association to ensure all CME credits will count for licensure. Get CME accredited in your state to ensure your courses meet the needs of your learners. 

• Reliable information: Your continuing medical education program should employ input and clinical research from medical school faculty members or leaders in the medical industry. Always use the most up-to-date medical research when crafting your course materials. 

• Interactive features: Engagement is essential when it comes to CME courses. Include interesting features like live polling, breakout rooms, and gamification to create a toolkit that will captivate your audience. 

• Virtual options: If a CME provider can offer virtual or hybrid options to their audience, healthcare professionals will be more likely to take the courses. This is because virtual professional development limits the number of key staff members who need time off and reduces scheduling conflicts. 

Knowing if you’re on the right track may be challenging when crafting your CME courses. Let’s consider what you must consider as you build and execute your continuing medical education courses. 

It’s important to note that as you build your CME courses, you must do everything possible to avoid commercial bias. Commercial bias can have a negative effect on your audience, and you are required to limit commercial bias whenever possible during your courses. 

How to Create a CME Course and Deliver it Outstandingly

The first crucial step in the CME planning process is becoming an accredited CME provider. Apply to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and ensure your organization meets all requirements. The initial accreditation process includes:

• Submitting a comprehensive application
• Participating in a series of interviews
• Demonstrating compliance with ACCME standards
• Waiting several months for approval

Continuing Medical Education (CME) is a cornerstone of a healthcare professional’s lifelong learning journey. It encompasses educational activities to maintain, develop, or enhance a physician’s knowledge, skills, and professional performance. 

According to the American Medical Association (AMA), CME is crucial for healthcare professionals to stay abreast of the latest medical advancements, ensuring they provide the highest quality patient care. 

By engaging in CME, medical professionals can improve health outcomes, advance their careers, and meet licensure and certification requirements.

1. Types of CME Activities and Formats

CME activities are as diverse as the healthcare professionals they serve, offering various formats to suit different learning styles and schedules. Here are some common types:

• Live activities include conferences, workshops, and seminars, which provide invaluable face-to-face interaction and hands-on experience. They are perfect for those who thrive in a collaborative learning environment.
• Enduring Materials: Think online courses, videos, and podcasts that you can access anytime, anywhere. These materials offer flexibility, allowing healthcare professionals to learn independently.
• Journal-Based CME: This involves educational activities based on peer-reviewed articles and journals, ideal for those who prefer in-depth, research-based learning.
• Online CME: Webinars, online courses, and virtual conferences offer the convenience of learning from home or the office, making it easier to fit education into a busy schedule.

By offering a variety of formats, CME programs can cater to the unique needs and preferences of healthcare professionals, ensuring they remain engaged and motivated.

2. Define Learning Objectives and Target Audience

When planning your CME course, start with crystal-clear objectives that you can measure. First, do some homework - what are the fundamental gaps in practice that need filling? 

Get to know your audience and understand what they’re struggling with day-to-day.

Ensure that your objectives are grounded in the basic medical sciences to provide a strong foundation for your course content.

Ensure your goals align with what ACCME is looking for in CME content. Your course should help doctors and other medical professionals maintain their edge, develop new skills, or level up their professional game. 

Think about how you’ll boost their knowledge, sharpen their practical skills, and improve their overall performance in the field.

Remember, the best objectives are ones that make a tangible difference in how doctors practice medicine.

3. Design Engaging Content

Make your content pop by mixing things up! Throw in some fascinating case studies, add interactive elements, and use videos or graphics to bring concepts to life.

Incorporate case studies and scenarios from clinical medicine to make the content more relatable and practical for healthcare professionals.

Stay current with the latest research, but keep it practical. Your fellow healthcare pros will appreciate content that tackles the real challenges they face every day.

4. Choose the Right Platform

Picking the right CME platform makes or breaks your CME course. Look for something easy to use and works smoothly on phones, tablets, and computers. 

Most creators use a learning management system (LMS), which handles everything from hosting content to tracking user progress to sending certificates. 

5. Implement Continuous Evaluation

Don’t just launch your CME activity and forget it. Keep tabs on how it’s performing by gathering honest feedback from your learners.

Analyze completion rates and test scores closely. Better yet, check in to see how doctors use their knowledge. Be sure to choose a CME delivery platform that can automatically implement post-event evaluations and surveys. Use these insights to make your course even better over time.

By following these steps, you’ll create and deliver an outstanding CME course that meets ACCME standards, engages learners, and contributes to improved healthcare outcomes.

6. Ensure Lack of Commercial Bias and Adherence to Accreditation Guidelines

Maintaining the integrity and credibility of CME activities is paramount. To achieve this, CME providers must ensure their content is free from commercial bias and adhere to accreditation guidelines set by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Here’s how:

• Disclose Financial Relationships: Transparency is critical. Disclose any financial relationships with commercial entities to avoid conflicts of interest.
• Ensure Unbiased Content: Educational content should be based on scientific evidence and free from commercial influence. Avoid promoting specific products or services.
• Comply with ACCME Standards: Adhere to ACCME standards and policies to ensure your CME activities are credible and trustworthy.

Following these guidelines, CME providers can deliver high-quality, evidence-based education that benefits healthcare professionals and their patients.

What Makes A CME Course Successful?

A successful CME course hinges on several key factors that enhance its effectiveness and appeal to healthcare professionals. A well-structured continuing medical education program ensures healthcare professionals receive the most relevant and up-to-date information. 

1. Accreditation

Accreditation should be obtained from recognized bodies like the ACCME or the AMA. This ensures the validity of CME credits for licensure and professional development.

2. Clear Learning Objectives

Start by crafting clear learning objectives that pack a real punch. Look at your needs assessment data – what skills do physicians need? Focus on filling those practice gaps you've identified. 

Ensure your objectives relate directly to what doctors do daily or might encounter soon. Keep them specific and measurable.

3. Relevant Content Development

Create content that moves the needle – help your learners grow their skills and boost their performance. Ground everything in solid evidence, but make it practical for the real world. Nobody just wants theory! 

Mix up your teaching methods to keep things interesting. Think case studies, interactive elements, and visuals that bring concepts to life. Remember, the best CME courses feel less like lectures and more like conversations with knowledgeable colleagues.

4. Engaging Delivery Methods

Mix up your teaching methods to keep things interesting. Get your learners involved with hands-on simulations – they're perfect for practicing new techniques without the pressure. 

Add some fun with gamification elements, and create spaces for group discussions where everyone can share their experiences. Online platforms are great, too, letting learners track their progress and learn at their own pace.

5. Continuous Evaluation

Don't just launch your course and forget about it. Keep tabs on how it's performing by gathering honest feedback from your participants. Look at what's working and what isn't. Use your CME delivery platform to implement automatic surveys upon course completion. Are doctors learning what they need? 

Use these insights to fine-tune your content. Remember, the best CME courses evolve based on real-world results. If something needs to be clicked with your audience, feel free to switch it up.

6. Convenient Access

Make your course work for everyone by thinking about how doctors learn. Some might squeeze in study time on their phones during lunch breaks, while others prefer diving deep into their laptops at home. 

Keep navigation simple and intuitive – nobody wants to waste time figuring out where to click. Mix your content with videos, readings, and interactive elements to keep things engaging and cater to different learning styles.

7. Provide A Hybrid Learning Experience

Incorporate both online and in-person elements to create a comprehensive learning experience:

• Webinar series with hands-on components
• Online research review followed by in-person seminars
• Live classes with online assessments
• Blended learning combining in-person sessions with online resources

This approach facilitates collaboration among healthcare professionals from diverse locations and specialties. Hybrid courses also enable better measurement of patient care outcomes, aligning with ACCME best practices and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your CME program.

8. Select CME Topics That Are In Demand

Tailor your CME content to meet the specific needs of your audience. Consider including topics such as:

• Emerging diseases and treatments
• Clinical updates in various specialties
• Medical technology advancements
• Procedural skills training
• Ethical medical practice
• Healthcare legislation and compliance
• Patient safety and quality improvement
• Mental health management
• Cultural competency in healthcare

Conduct regular needs assessments to ensure your CME offerings align with your audience's professional requirements and interests.

Develop A High-Quality CME Course That Your Target Audience Desires

Creating a practical CME course requires careful planning and execution. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll be well-equipped to develop a high-quality program that meets ACCME standards and engages your target audience.

Effective promotion and meticulous attendance tracking are essential for the success of any CME course. Here are some strategies to consider:

Promotion

• Utilize Social Media and Email Marketing: Leverage these platforms to reach a broader audience. Share engaging content and updates about your course.
• Partner with Healthcare Organizations: Collaborate with professional societies and healthcare organizations to expand your reach.
• Offer Incentives: Attract participants by offering discounts or free resources.
• Clear Course Descriptions: Provide detailed course descriptions, learning objectives, and accreditation information to help potential participants understand the value of your course.

Attendance Tracking

• Use a Learning Management System (LMS): An LMS can efficiently track attendance and participation, making it easier to manage your course.
• Verify Participation: Use quizzes, assessments, or evaluations to verify attendance and participation.
• Provide Certificates and CME Credits: Ensure participants receive certificates of completion and CME credits promptly.
• Maintain Accurate Records: Keep detailed attendance and participation records for accreditation and reporting purposes.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively promote your CME course and ensure accurate attendance tracking, ultimately contributing to the success and credibility of your program.

Host The Best CME Courses With BeaconLive

Creating your own CME course is an exciting journey that combines your expertise with the power to shape healthcare education. While the process requires careful planning and attention to detail, the rewards are worth it – both professionally and financially. 

By following these steps and maintaining a commitment to quality education, you're well on your way to developing a successful CME program that makes a real difference in healthcare delivery.

Ready to bring your CME course to life? BeaconLive's specialized CME Learning Management System makes it easy to launch, manage, and grow your program. Our platform handles all the technical details – from accreditation to program hosting to credit tracking to compliance – so you can focus on what matters most: sharing your expertise. 

Schedule a demo today and discover how we can help transform your knowledge into an engaging CME course that healthcare professionals will love.