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COPE achieves ‘substantial equivalency’ with ACCME

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The Council on Optometric Practitioner Education CE accreditation system has been deemed “substantially equivalent” to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education CME accreditation system, according to the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry.

To earn the status, COPE submitted to an extensive, voluntary review process and was deemed substantially equivalent to the ACCME’s accreditation requirements, criteria, policies and decision-making process.

CE/CME accreditors are considered substantially equivalent by the ACCME if they support CE/CME that: Enhances physician performance; is based on data describing physicians’ educational needs; has effectiveness assessed as it relates to physician performance or health status improvements; and is developed with control of the content, quality and scientific integrity being the responsibility of the CE/CME provider, according to the press release from ARBO.

COPE has adapted over time to be consistent with the CE/CME accreditation community, to meet the needs of a continuously changing environment, the group said.

In 2010, COPE implemented Standards for Commercial Support (SCS) and later adopted the ACCME SCS aligning with other health care professions. In January, an option was introduced for accreditation of CE providers, allowing greater freedom and flexibility.

The COPE accreditation system is more modernized to align with other health professions, according to James Campbell, OD, COPE Committee Chair.

“CE/CME is no longer simply about getting hours because you need them for license renewal,” Campbell said in the release. “Research shows that CE/CME is most effective when it’s based upon practice-based needs assessment and focused on outcomes. With these changes, we’re able to demonstrate that COPE-accredited CE has positive effects on optometrists’ knowledge, performance and patient outcomes.”

“With health care moving toward s a team-based approach, CE/CME now often requires collaborative education efforts,” Richard Orgain, OD, ARBO president, said in the release.

“With COPE’s accreditation process recognized as equivalent to the other health care professions, the door is open for optometrists to participate in interprofessional continuing education.”