Today, we catch up with John Ruggiero, PhD, CCMEP, Senior Medical Education Manager in the Independent Medical Education Department at Genentech. John will be chairing our 1 p.m. session entitled, “What Do Supporters Do With Outcomes Data?” This session is sponsored by Imedex.

A few of John’s insights:

Why are you optimistic about the future of CME?

I am really encouraged that so many people within our industry are starting to talk about engagement with learning. Especially with issues such as healthcare reform, we need to start focusing on what it takes to be implementation science managers or start talking the language of implementation science so that we can start addressing tactics or activities that are related to engagement and learning.

So, (it’s a question of) what kinds of CME programs can be done? What kinds of patient education pieces can be done? What kind of peer-to-peer interactions can we all be part of?

What scares you about the future of CME?

We have an industry of professionals who are greatly skilled on continuing education who are sometimes overly focused on some of the issues that we should leave to other experts. For example, I hear a lot about Sunshine Act and how Sunshine Act is going to impact our industry. Obviously, it’s a relevant concern, but these are issues that I think we can get past. We need to focus on more relevant issues like quality improvement and clinical integration and things along the lines of engagement of learning.

What do you feel has been most important change to CME in last 5 years?

I’m really encouraged to see that outcomes plans have been enhanced. I’m happy to see that people aren’t just using Moore’s 7 levels of outcomes, but are using that and moving forward with things to add to those metrics. Looking at national quality service pillars and expectations that are mandated by the federal government. Seeing how the national quality health strategies can be incorporated into medical education programs or engagement in learning tactics.

Check out John’s full interview below:

We are now officially less than one month away from CMEpalooza Fall – woohoo! In honor of the occasion, I made a little one minute tribute entitled, “Spend the Day With CMEpalooza” (side note: you don’t technically have to spend the whole day with us since each session will be archived and you can come back and watch them whenever you want – but let’s not get caught up in the details, OK? OK.)

I’m pretty sure this is the only CME-related video you will watch today set to Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day”, but I suppose I could be wrong. Remember to mark your calendars for October 15 and plan to spend at least part of your day with CMEpalooza Fall!

 

We’re back today with the fourth of our CMEpalooza Fall moderator interviews. This one is with Lawrence Sherman, Senior Vice President of Educational Strategy at Prova Education. Lawrence will be kicking off CMEpalooza Fall at our 9 a.m. session — The Future of CME: What Will CME/CPD Look Like in 5-10 Years?

A few of his more salient insights:

On the things that scare him about the future of CME:

The first thing is that it seems to me that there is no shortage of CME in areas where funding is available and educational needs exist, but there may be a shortage of CME in areas that are not as sexy and not as fundable. I am concerned that that imbalance may lead to bigger gaps in education and bigger challenges in improving patient care.

The second thing that worries me is that we get lost in the definition of what CME is. It’s not just, “Can we measure to level 5 outcomes in this?” but, “Did we find what the needs were, and did we meet those needs?”

On the most important change to CME in the last 5 years:

People are always down on the ACCME. I’m not. When they changed and updated their criteria two times ago, they helped to ensure that accredited providers are really educators. It may be difficult at times to do the paperwork, but it’s because we have to document that what we are doing is truly educational. That helped those folks who were out there doing a little education and a little other stuff to decide ‘What is it that we want to do?’ And if they chose education, they had to be committed to be educators.

On his best personal learning experience in the last year?

My best learning experience has been to continue to incorporate new ideas, technologies, and approaches into what we do. Sometimes in our industry, it seems like Groundhog Day. “I’ll just repurpose something,” or “That approach will work again,” or, “We’ll just renew that.” The reality is that everything is new, everything is unique, and everything is different.

You can watch the full interview below: