These organizations applaud the government's inclusion of the continuing health professional education community in this important public health initiative. Together, these stakeholders stand willing to make significant contributions to the effective integration of accredited continuing education for the successful implementation of opioid REMS.
Dr. Carl Patow, President of the AIAMC notes that, "Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for all extended-release and long-acting opioid medications represents an important step in curtailing the misuse and abuse of prescription pharmaceuticals. This initiative will provide an excellent opportunity for AIAMC members who are accredited CME providers to offer valuable information to health care professionals regarding a significant national health concern."
Andrew T. Filak, Jr., MD, President of AHME stated that "AHME is pleased to collaborate with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and other continuing education organizations to support the federal government’s comprehensive program to raise awareness of the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and to enlist the members of the continuing medical education community in developing educational interventions designed to reduce the incidence of this serious problem."
"By supporting this federal REMS initiative, ACME embraces its responsibility to enhance patient safety and improve health outcomes," said George C. Mejicano, MD, MS, FACP, FACME, President of the Alliance. "Utilizing effective educational methods will ensure that physicians and other health professionals apply what they have learned into practice. In turn, the independent and evidence based content associated with REMS education will ensure that patient safety always comes first."
Gabrielle M. Kane, MB, EdD, FRCPC, SACME President said that "SACME endorses this new REMS for all extended-release and long-acting opioid medications. The Society not only recognizes the importance of controlling the epidemic of prescription narcotic abuse, but also the importance of health professional, patient and public education on the appropriate use of narcotic analgesics, and the dangers of misuse, as a central strategy to overcome this problem. SACME therefore supports this REMS initiative, and is happy to use its leadership role in CME to promote this vitally important health concern."
According to NAMEC, "The integration of REMS into continuing education for the healthcare professional is a landmark decision through the FDA’s recognition of what accredited providers and educators have been on the forefront of conveying: quality and evidence-based CE can and does have an impact on practitioner behavior and patient outcomes. We are very excited about the opportunity that REMS represents for our members, who comprise medical education companies and individuals who provide certified education across the U.S."
"The U.S. system of certified Continuing Medical Education is prepared to deliver timely and focused information to prepare physicians to appropriately use long acting opioid medications for patient benefit," said Norman B. Kahn, MD, Executive Vice-president and CEO of CMSS.
Continuing health care education providers have the systems in place to rapidly and effectively deliver quality education and training to the nation’s health care professionals and contribute to fulfilling the FDA mandate to improve the use of opioid medications.
##### About the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (ACME) ACME is a membership organization that provides professional development opportunities for health professions educators, advocates for continuing professional development of healthcare workers, and strives to improve healthcare outcomes. Membership is open to any person, including but not limited to those in medical practice, medical education, government, and the pharmaceutical or medical device industries, who is involved in or committed to continuing education and continuing professional development of healthcare professionals. Founded in 1975 in support of certified medical education for physicians, the Alliance expanded its scope in 2010 to include all healthcare-related continuing education and continuing professional development. Membership is now open to any individual involved in continuing education and professional development for all healthcare professions. Through inclusive, collaborative, and inter-professional efforts, the Alliance acts to close healthcare performance gaps and improve quality in patient care and in clinical outcomes. About the Alliance for Independent Academic Medical Centers (AIAMC) AIAMC is a national membership organization made up of 70 major academic medical centers and health systems committed to quality patient care, medical education and research. AIAMC members regard medical education and research as strategic assets in providing patient-centered care; operate independently of medical school ownership or governance while maintaining major medical school affiliations; care for a patient population that mirrors their local communities; and provide teaching and research that is innovative, applicable to practice and community responsive. For more information on the AIAMC and its membership, visit www.aiamc.org. About the Association for Hospital Medical Education (AHME) AHME is a national, non-profit professional organization involved in the continuum of medical education. AHME’s members represent several hundred teaching hospitals, academic medical centers, and consortia involved in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. The Association serves as a resource for medical education information, promotes improvement in medical education, and develops medical education professionals. AHME annually provides an educational institute, several one day programs, a series of teleconference and webinars, the Guide to Medical Education in the Teaching Hospital, AHME News, as well as additional resources on its website (www.ahme.org) for educators and educational administrators. It supports interest groups for administrative directors of medical education, CME professionals, medical education consortia, and transitional year program directors. AHME is also a member organization of ACCME and ECFMG and an associate member of CMSS.
About the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS)
Founded in 1965, CMSS was created to provide an independent forum for the discussion by medical specialists of issues of national interest and mutual concern. Today, CMSS represents thirty-seven societies with an aggregate membership of more than 700,000 US physicians. Its main purpose is to provide a forum for collaboration to influence policy, medical education and accreditation from a broad, cross-specialty perspective. CMSS is the unified voice for specialty societies established to improve the United States’ healthcare system and health of the public. For more information visit CMSS at www.cmss.org. About the National Association of Medical Education Companies (NAMEC) NAMEC was founded in 2001 as the North American Association of Medical Education and Communication Companies, on beliefs in honoring and fulfilling the responsibilities required of certified healthcare professional education and in advocating for MECs and the CME community. As part of the growing process in the industry, NAMEC has matured into its role as a leader and source of guidance for other CME professionals, with an established and well-respected Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct that guide all NAMEC activities. About the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME) The mission of the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education is to promote the research, scholarship, evaluation and development of CME/CPD (continuing medical education/continuing professional development) that helps to enhance the performance of physicians and other healthcare professionals for the ultimate improvement of individual and population health. Its members are leaders and academics in this field, most working in medical schools and other academic health centers, but also drawing from specialty societies and research centers.