How does the ANCC accreditation process differ from that of the ACCME and other boards?
Overall, the application generally parallels the ACCME accreditation self-study report process. Some small differences are that the ANCC calls its credits "contact hours" or "CNE credit", and the accredited provider unit needs to be managed by a named "Program Director", for which a position description must be attached to accreditation applications.
Some of the five sections of the self-study report have different titles as well: Organizational Overview (OO), Structural Capacity (SC), Educational Design Process (EDP), Quality Outcomes (QO), and Performance in Practice Activity Files.
My organization's primary business is producing and distributing healthcare products. Could we also be eligible for ACPE Initial Accreditation?
To be eligible for ACPE Initial Accreditation, any organization must meet three primary criteria:
- Administrative and operational responsibility for conducting all aspects of the CPE activities provided by the organization.
- Operational for a minimum of six prior months and, during that time, planned, implemented, and evaluated at least three CE activities.
- NOT be an ineligible company ("whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients").
So, no, your organization would not be eligible!
The complete initial accreditation process for ACPE can be found here.
