From the AOA CME Standards
2.2.3 Educational Standards and Practices
2.2.3.1 Needs Assessment - An accredited sponsor shall systematically identify the CME needs of prospective participants and use that information in planning CME activities. The following criteria relating to the needs assessment are required for submissions to the CME Division upon request for AOA Category 1-A or Category 1-B credit for pre-approval:
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The needs assessment must be conducted on an annual basis for each program.
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A needs assessment must be included for each presentation.
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The needs assessment must be timely – current for the field.
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The needs assessment must be documented – at least one source must be evidence based.
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Exceptions to the requirement for needs assessments will be posted and CME Sponsors will be notified.
2.2.3.2 Objectives - An accredited sponsor shall, for each CME event, develop objectives based on identified educational needs.
Source Data Memo
Date: March5, 2010
To: Divisional Affiliate Executive Directors
CC: Linda Mascheri, Director, AOA Department of State, Affiliate, Socioeconomic, and International Affairs
Diane Burkhart, PhD, Director, AOA Department of Education
From: Diana Ewert, MPA, CAE
Director, Division of Affiliate Affairs
RE: AOA CME Needs Assessment – Source Data
The Division of Affiliate Affairs is receiving multiple requests for additional help when it comes to submitting the required needs assessment to the Education Department why applying for CME consideration. The most often asked question concerns source data, i.e., Where can we find source data?
It is not appropriate for the division to comment or critique needs assessment documentation. However, we can provide you links to third-party sites to further research and address the areas of education you provide through your respective organizations. You may be able to obtain data relative to building your needs assessment, thus your educational programs through these resources.
Note that this is neither a complete nor exhaustive list – we are providing a few of the more well- known sources to get you started. We would like to see this become a living, breathing document that you augment by adding your own resources and links to information relative to educational topics that other affiliates can draw upon when conducting their own needs assessment.
Please let me know if this is helpful to you. I look forward to your comments and feedback.
US Government Resources
http://www.health.gov is a portal to the Web sites of a number of multi-agency health initiatives and activities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other Federal departments and agencies. This site is coordinated by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
United States Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov
National Institutes for Health http://nih.gov
United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstfix.htm
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) http://www.ahrq.gov/
Health-Related Foundations/Organizations
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation – Health Policy http://kff.org/
The United Health Foundation – America’s Health Rankings (by state) http://www.americashealthrankings.org/
The National Women’s Health Foundation http://www.nationalwomenshealth.org/
National Public Health Information Coalition http://www.nphic.org/
American Public Health Association http://www.apha.org/
Disease Specific Organizations
American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org
American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/
American Heart Association http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org/
State Specific Organizations
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials http://www.astho.org/
CDC Public Health Resources – State Departments of Health http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/international/relres.html
National Association of County and City Health Officials http://www.naccho.org/
Most states have specific health statistical data available that may aid in determining need. For example: State of Illinois Health Statistics http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/statshome.htm
Journals Relative to the Specialties of Osteopathic Medicine
Journal of the American Osteopathic Association http://www.jaoa.org/
Journal of Osteopathic Medicine and Primary Care http://www.om-pc.com/
Osteopathic Family Physician http://www.acofp.org/resources/publications.aspx
Journal of the American College of Osteopathic Dermatology http://www.aocd.org/jaocd/index.html
Medical Journals
Journal of the American Medical Association http://jama.ama-assn.org/
American Family Physician http://www.aocd.org/jaocd/index.html
Family Practice Management http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/journals/fpm.html
The New England Journal of Medicine http://content.nejm.org/
Web Search Engines
Journal Watch - Journal Watch reviews over 180 scientific and medical journals to present important clinical
research findings and insightful commentary. http://www.jwatch.org/
MedScape/MedScapeCME/WebMD – no fee but requires registration http://www.medscape.com/