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DEBUTING SOON!
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Watch for news on the
NEW CAAHEP WEBSITE!
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Welcome New Commissioners
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Join us in welcoming the following Commissioners, who were recently appointed by their sponsoring organizations:
Christine Robinson
Alternate Commissioner
Committee on Accreditation for Polysomnographic Technologist Education
Shelley Wall
Association of Medical Illustrators
Howard Odom
American Society of Anesthesiologists
Francis Neric
American College of Sports Medicine
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CAAHEP Board Meeting Schedule
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The CAAHEP Board of Directors takes accreditation actions six times per year (Jan., Mar., May, Jul., Sept., and Nov.). The following are upcoming meeting dates and locations (where appropriate):
May 19, 2017
Conference Call
July 12-13, 2017
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
September 15, 2017
Conference Call
November 17, 2017
Conference Call
January 10-11, 2018
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
March 18, 2018
Conference Call
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2017 CAAHEP Annual Meeting
"Quality Improvement vs. Quality Assurance: Can we be both Counselors and Cops?"
April 23-24, 2017
Atlanta, GA
The Final Program Book is now available online.
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CAAHEP Social Media Sites
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From the President
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Thomas Skalko
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Well, it is time for the CAAHEP Annual Conference and the gathering of our Commissioners. I look forward to seeing everyone in Atlanta. We have a good program of sessions and trust there is something for each of you.
CAAHEP Annual Meeting in Atlanta:
CAAHEP is pleased to have Dr. Judith Eaton, President of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as our keynote presenter. Dr. Eaton has been highly engaged in the rapidly changing landscape of both institutional and programmatic accreditation. This will be an opening you will want to make a point to attend. We look forward to Dr. Eaton's message and thoughts on the future challenges of academic accreditation.
Take-Aways from the Association for Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA):
I had the privilege of attending the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors' Spring Conference in Chicago this past month. ASPA has done a great job in keeping their membership informed on upcoming issues that confront the accreditation industry.
Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative (HPAC):
Among items that may be of interest to CAAHEP's Committees on Accreditation (CoAs) was an initiative by the
Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative (HPAC). The HPAC is working with the National Center for Interprofessional Practice & Education (
National Center for Interprofessional Practice & Education
) to further interprofessional education among health care professions. Interprofessional
Education (IPE) is not a new concept but has been increasingly getting more attention in the education of healthcare professionals. The initiative is founded on the on-going demand for health care pre-professionals to have a sound understanding of the roles and relationships of each member of the healthcare team in addressing the multi-faceted needs of the consumer of healthcare services. This understanding will lead to better service coordination and delivery and better outcomes for the consumer.
The integration of IPE content and processes across healthcare educational offerings has promise in improving services to the consumer and in helping interdisciplinary teams understand the diverse roles of each profession engaged in services delivery. From an accreditation perspective, the goal for many of CAAHEP's stakeholders would be the inclusion of interprofessional education as an outcome of professional preparation programs. As stated in the 2016 update of the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (2016),
Perhaps the most important outcome of this updated orientation in IPEC's expanded competency model towards population health is providing an enabling framework for clinical care providers, public health practitioners, and professionals from other fields to collaborate more effectively and creatively across disciplines to optimize health care and advance population health.
The initiative is a worthwhile endeavor for consideration by all of CAAHEP's Committees on Accreditation. Shared by
Dr. Brandt is the IPE/IPCP video from Oregon State accessed through the following link:
Carl in the Nexus
. The video offers a simple perspective for understanding the ultimate benefits of interprofessional education and collaboration. As the HPAC continues its work, watch for opportunities to educate yourself and your program directors on interprofessional education and collaboration.
Closing Thoughts:
I want to take every opportunity I can to thank all of you for the work you do on behalf of CAAHEP and your Committee on Accreditation. Without your diligence, CAAHEP could not continue to be the "Gold Standard" for programmatic accreditation in allied health. If there is anything I or CAAHEP can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to reach out.
I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta! T
hank you for your service and commitment to CAAHEP. We retain our readiness to serve and look to each of you to help us accomplish that objective.
Thomas Skalko, Ph.D., LRT/CTRS, FDRT
President, CAAHEP
Reference:
Interprofessional Education Collaborative. (2016). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: 2016 update. Washington, DC: Interprofessional Education Collaborative.
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New Standards Approved
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The Board of Directors approved the following sets of Standards at the March 2017 meeting:
Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Clinical Research Professional
Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Recreational Therapy
While this is the first set of Standards approved for the Clinical Research Professionals, the Recreational Therapy Standards were updated following the profession's review.
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Californians - Take Note!
Kathleen Megivern, JD, Executive Director
The notion of paid internships has been growing in popularity in recent years, but a bill currently in the California Assembly would take this notion to an extreme level that threatens the survival of educational programs in allied health. This bill (A.B. 387) would require that clinical facilities pay minimum wage to all students who are placed for clinical education. The website of the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography has a wealth of information about this bill and its potential impact on allied health programs. Click here to visit SDMS the site.
"AB 387 adds language to the existing California minimum wage statute to include "any person engaged in a period of supervised work experience to satisfy requirements for licensure, registration, or certification as an allied health professional." This means that any time spent in a clinical setting, the student must be paid minimum wage. The bill does not distinguish between the student's first day or their last day in the clinical setting - every hour spent in the clinical setting learning, assisting, performing procedures, waiting for a patient to arrive, etc. would be subject to minimum wage.
Allied health educational programs work with various hospitals, clinics, physician's offices, nursing homes, etc. to provide clinical experience for their students. All of these would be considered "employers" under AB 387 and must pay all the allied health students participating in clinical time at the facility."
Paying minimum wage to students may seem like a fine idea and the stated intention is to help "non-traditional" students to be able to enroll in these programs. But the reality is that this bill would lead to fewer clinical sites and the likely closure of some programs. The SDMS has estimated that the cost added by this bill for most sonography students would be approximately $12,600 per student.
The bill passed the Assembly's Labor and Employment Committee on March 29th and is set for a hearing in the Appropriations Committee when they return from spring break. D
espite opposition from dozens of groups, including the California Hospital Association, California Medical Association, numerous schools and various allied health associations, the bill was passed without any amendments and only two negative votes. But the bill has some very powerful supporters - namely the Service Employees International Union - California. They were actually listed as the supporter on the fact sheet published by Assembly member Tony Thurmond, Sponsor of the bill.
The threat to all allied health education programs in California is very real and we encourage our colleagues in California-based programs to help educate assembly members about the negative consequences of this bill on the health of the citizens of California. The reality is that health care agencies are operating on very tight margins in today's competitive healthcare industry. It is also important for Assembly members to understand that clinical field placement is an essential aspect of one's professional education. The impacts include a significant reduction on available fieldwork placements across all allied health disciplines, thus resulting in fewer available health care professionals to fill vacancies. Ultimately, with fewer graduating healthcare professionals, the health of the public will be at risk.
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Recent Graduate Commissioner Selected
The CAAHEP Board is pleased to announced the selection of a new Recent Graduate Commissioner, who will also serve on the CAAHEP Board of Directors. Melissa McKnight is a graduate of the CAAHEP accredited Adult Cardiac Sonography program at El Centro College in Dallas, Texas, in 2016. She is currently employed as an Adult Cardiac Sonographer for the UT Southwestern Medical Center, Methodist Richardson Medical Center, and Texas Health Hospital. Melissa holds certifications in American Registry for Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography, Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Explaining in her application to become the Recent Graduate Commissioner, Ms. McKnight states, "My journey searching for a cardiac sonography program ended quickly when I discovered El Centro College's allied health program. It was appealing for a number of reasons, and it was validated by accreditation. At the time, I was unsure what all encompassed earning recognition as an accredited institution, but I was certain that it was important. Curiosity led me to discern that receiving my certificate from an accredited program was not only important, but essential. "
She said of taking on the role of Commissioner and Board Member, "Prospective healthcare students have a right to high quality education, and reassurance that, with hard work, they will graduate from their institution well prepared to enter the workforce. I also believe that healthcare programs deserve to be recognized and promoted for offering quality education. CAAHEP's mission, purpose, and strategy create a platform for both students and institutions to participate in high quality education."
Ms. McKnight will assume her role in CAAHEP on July 1, 2017, along with the new and returning members of the 2017-2018 CAAHEP Board of Directors.
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CAAHEP Joins Effort to Advance Interprofessional Education
HPAC was established in 2014 as a platform for discussion, proactive problem solving, and sharing among accreditors. The collaborative was initially formed to enhance accreditors' ability to ensure graduates of health professions are prepared for interprofessional collaborative practice.
HPAC members, invited members including CAAHEP President Thomas Skalko, and observers met on April 4, 2017, in Chicago, IL, following the spring 2017 Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA) annual meeting, to discuss opportunities and challenges in interprofessional education and practice. Invited speaker, Barbara F. Brandt, PhD, Director, National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education and Associate Vice President for Education, University of Minnesota, shared perspectives on opportunities for accreditors in shaping the future of IPE and challenged the participating organizations to work together, offering guidance on areas of potential collaboration to foster development of high-functioning teams that can improve the experience, outcomes and costs of health care.
The HPAC members discussed opportunities to respond to Dr. Brandt's challenge and address questions from academic stakeholders. Identification of possible common definitions and competency expectations in IPE were considered. The participants discussed aspects of their accreditation reviews in relationship to IPE and noted similarities that could be further explored. A team of individuals from four HPAC members (representing medicine, social work, psychology and pharmacy) will be working with individuals from the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education to draft a document on IPE harmonization opportunities and guidance for the consideration, revision and ultimately approval by all the HPAC members for wide distribution to accredited programs. The current target for the final document is early 2018.
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Accreditation Actions
Each profession in the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) system has a Committee on Accreditation (CoA) that consists of experts in the profession that are responsible for reviewing programs and making appropriate recommendations for accreditation to CAAHEP. CAAHEP reviews recommendations received from its CoAs in each profession, assures due process was followed, and takes final action on an accreditation status.
CAAHEP took the following actions at its March 17, 2017 meeting. Actions are identified by profession, action taken, and date of the next comprehensive evaluation. In some cases, the concentration and/or degree are also specified. Where available, links to each program's website has been provided.
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2017. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
Medical Assisting
The following program was found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2018. This action requires no progress report and was approved on the consent agenda.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2022. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2025. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2026. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2027. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Polysomnographic Technology
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2022.
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2024.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2025.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2026.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted initial accreditation for a period not to exceed five (5) years. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
Exercise Science
Medical Assisting
Neurodiagnostic Technology
Polysomnographic Technology
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted initial accreditation for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
Medical Assisting
The following program had a transfer of sponsorship approved, with a status of continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2021.
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
The following program was placed on probationary accreditation, with one or more Standards requiring critical attention and timely resolution to bring the program into compliance with the Standards and Guidelines.
Medical Assisting
Standard: IV.B.1.
Progress Report Due: November 1, 2017
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