FCLB

FCLB Continuing Education Taskforce Report

Richard L. Cole, DC, DACNB, FICC

FCLB

Taskforce Composition• FCLB CE Taskforce Members

– Dr. Laurel Cowie – Co-Chair– Dr. Richard Cole – Co-Chair– Dr. Jackie Buettner- Member Boards– Dr. Steven Foreman – Member Boards– Dr. Joe Brimhall - CCE– Dr. Lester Lamm - College– Mr. Kevin Earle – Board Administrators

FCLB

CE Taskforce Advisors

• ICA– Dr. Don Harrison

– Dr. Gary Walseman

• CCE– Dr. Jan Harbor

• Colleges– Dr. Angel Tribuno

– Dr. Ken Heairlston

– Dr. Laurie Hogard

– Dr. Ralph Barrale

– Dr. Jerry Grod

– Dr. Lance Blackshaw

– Ms. Sheila Thomas

FCLB

Current Situation

• Multiple programs offered by multiple institutions

• Jurisdiction standards vary widely and change regularly

• Instructor and course credentialing poorly evaluated by member boards

• Practitioners unclear of their education options

FCLB

Opportunity

• To develop a win-win-win-win– CE providers– Regulatory boards– Field practitioners– Patients

FCLB

Project Goals

• Provide service to FCLB member boards, practitioners, and patients by establishing CE standards and providing a credentialing process for continuing education

• Streamline and standardize the approval process for program developers

FCLB

Previous Efforts

• FCLB to evaluate each course and place it into a grid– All courses would be placed in the grid

somewhere

• FCLB to primary source verify instructor credentials

• Failed because of high cost to run the program

FCLB

FCLB CE Program Grid

I II III IVPhilosophyResearchBasic ScienceTechniqueExam ProceduresPractice Mgmt

I – rigor, strong AV system, knowledge assessment

II – rigor, strong AV system

III- rigor

FCLB

Current Proposal

• Granting three year recognition status by FCLB for CE providers who are willing to adhere to the established standards for three years (CERP)

• Reporting of CE attendees to ALLDOCS

• Development of website posting offerings by recognized providers

FCLB

Proposed Standards• Development and adherence to mission

statement• Course content based on needs assessment• Clearly identified learning objectives• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning

activities• Rigorous academic standards• Primary source verification of instructors

FCLB

Proposed Standards Continued

• Commercial conflict of interest eliminated or identified

• Educational methods must be appropriate to achieve the stated objectives

• Appropriate facilities/instructional media

• Appropriate course administration

• Fiscal responsibility

FCLB

Proposed Standards Continued

• Publicity standards adhered to

• Admissions as appropriate

• Patient/model protection

• Record keeping adequate

• Electronically mediated distance learning

FCLB

CERP Recognition

• Valid for three years

• Must be updated with course changes

• Probation for problem providers

• Revocation of provider status for continual failure to comply with the standards

FCLB

Composition of Review Board

• Seven persons with educational experience

• Serving three year staggered terms

• All nominated by CCE accredited schools on a rotational basis

• Appointed by the FCLB president

FCLB

Other Project Components

• Establishment of a Web listing of available FCLB credentialed courses

• Creation of a central clearinghouse for practitioner continuing education data

• Dovetails nicely with ALLDOCs

FCLB

Distance Learning Courses

• Can be clearly identified independently

• Probably will be the fastest growing section of the CE market

FCLB

Ethics guidelines

• Guidelines established for instructor and student conduct

• Includes instructor conflict of interest issues• Course must follow ethics guidelines • Will be sworn to by instructor and program

developer• Breach of ethics guidelines could result in

loss of credentialing

FCLB

Strengths of the Program

• Economy of scale

• Shared information among boards

• Better course and instructor evaluation system

• Improved educational opportunities for doctors

• Maintaining a CE database for the doctor

FCLB

Hurdles to Overcome

• Perception of a takeover (misinformation)

• Development of a product without a market

• Staffing issues

• Infrastructure issues

FCLB

Technology Helps

• Internet speeds up information sharing• Allows doctors to find specific courses that

they will be interested in• Allows credentialing committee to

communicate expeditiously and efficiently• Online sign up for program developers• Maintenance of CE history for field

practitioners

FCLB

Teamwork/Resources Needed to Succeed

• Vision for a workable solution

• FCLB bringing all stakeholders together to find workable solutions

• Committed core of people willing to see the project through

• Internet system for this project would need to be finalized

FCLB

FCLB Continuing Education Recognition Program

• An issue whose time has come

• Necessary to move our profession forward

• Viable with today’s technology