OVERVIEW
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) recognizes [approves] continuing medical courses when the education provided is relevant to the rendering of emergency medical care and meets the requirements as set forth in this application. A course coordinator must be sure to complete all forms and include every attachment requested. An incomplete application may provide reason for invalidation by the ADPH Office of Emergency Medical Services, meaning the course is unapproved.
The OEMS believes that continuing medical education is best provided when courses are created using a well-designed teaching plan, adequate presentation and practice materials, appropriate instructors and a program evaluation process. This application is the instrument for documenting these minimum course elements in a standardized format.
A course registration and an application packet are required for each continuing medical education course. Course registration is accomplished through the region EMS office. Completed application packets, including all related materials, must be available for audit for three years following course completion. It is the responsibility of the course coordinator to maintain the application packets. It is acceptable, in cases where an outside course coordinator is used, for a sponsoring agency to maintain course records. All application materials must be presented within three (3) business days should an audit be requested by the ADPH OEMS Regional Office. The application packet must be completed prior to submitting a course registration. The course registration must be approved prior to the course being conducted.
Candidates who successfully complete an approved course may request a completion document or certificate from the course coordinator. Completion documents and certificates must contain the official OEMS approved course number.
COURSE APPROVAL PROCESS
Creating the Course
The sponsoring agency determines the need for CME and assigns a course coordinator to serve as the point of contact for the course approval process. The course coordinator is responsible for completing the course registration and application packet, providing completion certification to students upon request, and maintaining the course application packet (CAP) for a minimum of three years following course completion. The following elements are required elements of the CAP.
- Course Outline- Provides chronological listing of class/lab times (broken down to show each presentation, skill station, demonstration, etc.). If there are multiple instructors, instructor names should be listed next to their assigned presentation(s)/lab station(s). The outline should clearly show the number of in-class hours. Time for breaks and lunch should not be included.
- Course Presentation(s)- A copy of the presentations should be on file. Presentation(s) may be printed hardcopies or files stored on CD/DVD/data stick. If the course is audited, a printed hardcopy will be required for review.
- Skills Verification- A description of how skills will be reviewed and competency verified must be provided. Each skill should have a check-off sheet that clearly identifies the required steps and success criteria. Completed skills sheets will be kept with the CAP.
- Post-Course Exam- The course instructor may require a post-course exam. The exam should verify key topic points and cover course learning objectives. The scoring method should be appropriate with a remediation plan in place. A copy of the exam, answer key, and scoring method should be provided. Specifics concerning the exam, such as minimum score, types of questions, number of questions, etc. will be presented to the participants prior to taking the course. Completed exams will be kept with the CAP.
- Materials and Resources Form- Provides a list of all materials and resources utilized for the course. Commercial products are documented on the form with disclaimers included. Materials created in-house should be documented on the form and a copy maintained as part of the CAP. Proper credit should be given to sources of information provided through in-house created materials. Personal experience is NOT acceptable as the sole reference material for a course.
- Completion Document or Certificate- A sample of the completion document or certificate should be included in the CAP.
Documenting the Instructors
Instructors should have credentials which support the topic being taught. An instructor’s credentials must, at minimum, meet the credential level of the material. For example, an EMT may conduct a presentation dealing with topics and skills from the EMT scope of practice. A Paramedic would be required to teach topics and skills from the paramedic scope of practice. Professionals outside of EMS, such as Physicians, Nurses, Attorneys, Pharmacists, Respiratory Therapists, etc. may also be included. An instructor form is required for each instructor along with a signed “disclaimer” form when applicable. The form provides the instructor’s name, certifications, and contact information.
Course Registration Form (CRF)
A CRF shall be submitted for approval to respective regional EMS office in which the continuing medical education course shall be offered/conducted two weeks prior to the first day of the course. The CRF is the only form sent to the regional EMS office. The regional EMS office will respond by either approving or not approving the course. If approved, a course number will be provided. If not approved, the teaching agency will receive an explanation. If an agency wishes to appeal the Region’s denial of a course approval, that appeal must be in writing and sent to the ADPH OEMS. Incomplete CRFs will be returned to the course coordinator. For faster approval course registration forms should be sent electronically. If an agency prefers to use hard copies it will take longer to get through the process.
Post-Course Documentation
Following completion of the CME course, the course coordinator should assemble all the CAP paperwork. The CAP paperwork must be available for audit for three years. The following items should be added to the CAP:
- Attendance Roster- Provides name (printed), EMSP level, Alabama EMSP license number, and signature for each attending candidate. The attendance roster must also include course information (title, sponsoring agency, date) and individual candidate end of course status (pass, fail, completed, etc.). The coordinator’s signature is required on the roster. A copy of the roster shall also be provided to the regional EMS office as proof of course completion. The roster should be submitted to the regional office no later than 15 after the class concludes.
- Skills Practice/Verification Forms- Each candidate shall have a completed practice/verification skill form for each skill covered in the lab. The forms must list the important steps for each skill; have an evaluation (pass, fail, successful, etc.) for each important step, and an overall evaluation for the skill station. The form must include the candidate name, skill date, and evaluator name.
- Completed Exams- If an exam is required for the course; the exam answer sheet must include the candidate’s name, exam date, exam score and evaluator name.
- Completion Document or Certificate- Copies of completion documents or certificates that were provided to candidates upon their request are to be a part of the CAP. If no completion documents or certificates are requested, the example certificate provided prior to CRF submission is adequate.
Acceptable Course Types
Classroom courses have instructor(s) and materials present in an appropriate facility during the course. Attendees have real-time interaction with the instructor(s). The presentation and exam materials may be provided in the classroom or online. There are no National Registry limitations on the number of ADPH OEMS approved classroom hours.
Distributive education (also called distributive learning or distance learning) is an educational activity in which the learner, the instructor, and the educational materials are not all present at the same time. Attendees do not have real-time interaction with the instructor(s). The presentation and exam materials are provided online. Distributive education requirements follow those of classroom courses for courses created by the coordinator or sponsoring agency. Although distributive hours may be approved by the ADPH OEMS, the National Registry may also have limitations on the number of distributive hours permitted.
Hybrid courses are a mix of classroom and distributive learning presentations. To receive OEMS approval for the entire course, the CME course outline must clearly list the classroom element(s) separate from the distributive learning element(s). Both the classroom and distributive learning portions must satisfy the OEMS requirements stated above.
The National Registry and the OEMS recognizes CECBEMS accreditation.
The National Registry and the OEMS recognizes national courses such as BLS, ACLS, PALS, ITLS, PHTLS, PEPP, and AMLS. Such courses have their own quality management processes. OEMS does not provide approval for the nationally recognized courses. Any questions concerning recognition of a national course should be directed to the region EMS office.
Acceptable Course Content
The ADPH OEMS approves CME courses that are patient care related and appropriate for the Alabama EMSP. Courses should be properly designed to address topics appropriate for the EMSP level(s) in attendance.
Refresher courses must meet either DOT/NHTSA or National Registry education requirements. The course outline must specifically describe the hours and instructor(s) for each required topic.
Refresher courses designed to meet National Registry NCCP requirements must be clearly marked as such and must meet the National Registry NCCP education requirements. The course outline must specifically describe the hours and instructor(s) for each required topic.
CME course topics must qualify for credit according to the current National Registry continuing education requirements. Topics that are deemed to provide little improvement to the delivery of quality patient care will not be considered acceptable.
NREMT Recertification Guide
Calculating CME Hours
CME time is a measurement of the actual time spent receiving education. Contact time will be rounded up to the nearest ¼ hour. This is in line with the education units approved by National Registry. CME time for classroom and distributive presentation hours is measured from the beginning to the end of the presentation and may include time for relevant questions and answers. CME time for skills practice or verification is the time necessary for one candidate to complete a skill or a set of multiple skills in succession. CME time for skills should not be determined by the total lab time allotted for skills practice or verification for the entire group or class.
COMPLETION DOCUMENT OR CERTIFICATE
The coordinator shall make available a completion document or certificate for any attendee who requests such documentation. It is not required to automatically create individual attendee completion documentation.
The completion documentation or certificate must display the following information:
- Title of Course
- Number of CME Hours
- Attendee’s name
- Attendee’s Alabama EMSP level or “Pending”
- Attendee’s Alabama EMSP license number or “Pending”
- Location of activity
- Date of course completion
- Name and signature of the CME course coordinator
- OEMS Official approval number
APPLICATION AUDIT
The ADPH OEMS Regional Office may initiate an application audit randomly or because of an inquiry by the ADPH OEMS or by National Registry.
The purpose of an application audit-
- Verify the CME course approval application was completed appropriately
- Verify the information provided in the CME course approval application was accurate
- Verify the CME course was provided as described in the CME course approval application
Outcomes for an application audit-
- Verified CME course approval application is approved
- Suspend CME course approval application pending review of additional documentation
- Deem the CME course approval application invalid and the CME course unapproved
The ADPH OEMS also reserves the right to review and investigate any complaint or credible evidence of any alleged violation of the application. When a violation has been found to have occurred, the ADPH OEMS reserves the right to deny, suspend, or remove approval for the CME course. The ADPH OEMS will utilize the following procedure when determining whether any such disciplinary action is appropriate.
Each course coordinator must comply with a written request for information from the ADPH OEMS and agree to participate in a review of any complaint or alleged violation of application procedure. In the absence of any response from the course coordinator within 30 days of the written request, the ADPH OEMS will assume such complaint or alleged violation has merit and will initiate an investigation and review process noted below. Failure to respond adequately to any review or request for information must be considered as additional evidence in support of the complaint or alleged violation.
The ADPH OEMS shall utilize its professional judgment in determining whether denial, suspension, or removal of course approval shall occur. Reasons for such action shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Any material misrepresentation, whether intentional or unintentional, in the application.
- Fraud in information provided in the application such as falsifying instructor credentials.
- Intentional or unintentional failure to comply with the Attesting Statement, as specified in the signed application.
- Failure to submit timely to an audit.
- Refusal to participate in a review to determine whether the activity sponsor is complying with the elements of the application
- Refusal to submit a plan of correction when requested by the ADPH OEMS during an audit or complaint review process.
The ADPH OEMS will determine audit outcomes. The outcome will be delivered in writing to the course coordinator. If the National Registry, or other complainant, initiated the inquiry, a written response will be provided following the audit outcome.
ADPH OEMS CME APPROVAL PROCESS AND CHECK LIST
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CREATE COURSE Course Outline Course Presentation(s) Skills Verification Post-Course Exam Instructor Form(s) Materials and Resources Form Completion Document or Certificate
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SUBMIT REGISTRATION Course Coordinator Course Registration Form Regional EMS Office |
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REGIONAL EMS OFFICE Reviews Registration Form Approves course, issues course number Does not approve course, contacts course coordinator with feedback |
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COMPLETE COURSE Follow course application Use skill verification sheets Provide post-course exam Complete attendance roster |
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COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION Send copy of roster to regional EMS office Gather all materials for CAP Store records for three years Always be prepared for course audit |