Check back often for additions and changes to our CME calendar.  Click on the month you are interested in below.  Newsletters include links to detailed information about events.  Calendars display the month in question.

• October 2009.pdf
• October Newsletter.pdf
• November 2009.pdf
• November Newsletter.pdf

St. Joseph Hospital is committed to providing Continuing Medical Education activities (CME) that will aid our local physicians in promoting personal and community health, relieving pain and suffering, and treating each person in a loving and caring way. Our CME Program's primary target audience is the medical staff of St. Joseph Hospital. Other professionals working cooperatively with our medical staff to deliver personal and community health care comprise our secondary audience.

We are committed to the highest standards in our CME planning and implementation practices and adhere to ACCME Accreditation Guidelines in fulfillment of this commitment.

Our CME Program is designed to enhance medical care and physician competencies in our referral region by 1) assessing and meeting the educational needs of our target audience, 2) promoting communication and collaboration within the physician community both across and within specialties, 3) providing timely, relevant, accessible, and inspiring activities that bridge the gap between emerging medical advances and clinical practice, and 4) promoting physician wellness and strategies for coping with changes in the health care environment.

If you would like to develop a Continuing Medical Education activity, or are interested in current CME offerings at St. Joseph Hospital, please contact the CME Coordinator at (360) 715-4104 or jmattson@peacehealth.org for information and assistance.

St. Joseph deeply appreciates our speakers' willingness to contribute to the Continuing Medical Education of our staff.  This page is designed as a esource to assist faculty in presenting in proper accordance with the regulations of our accrediting body, particularly in areas of disclosure and conflict of interest.

• Disclosure and Resolution of Conflict of Interest:  Both planners and faculty (speakers or moderators) MUST disclose to learners their financial interests in a commercial entity BEFORE an educational activity begins, either orally or in written form.  Submitting a signed Disclosure and Conflict of Interest Statement is necessary prior to the CME activity.  Any faculty who refuses to disclose will be unable to present education designated as Category 1.

In the event a faculty member has commercial interest to disclose, he or she is seen to have a conflict of interest that must be resolved.  This is may be achieved in several ways, as outlined in the Disclosure and Conflict of Interest form.

• Disclosure of off-label uses:  Experimental or off-label uses MUST be disclosed to learners during a CME presentation.
• Use of trade names:  It is appropriate for faculty to discuss drugs or devices when CME topics call for it. However, to avoid commercially biasing a presentation, faculty should discuss classes of drugs and avoid use of trade names.  If it is necessary to use trade names, it is best to address drugs or devices made by at least two companies. These guidelines apply whether or not a presentation is commercially supported.
• HIPAA and case presentations:  Case presentations are extremely valuable in CME.  Keeping HIPAA regulations in mind, faculty must take every possible step to de-identify cases, even in an educational format.
• Commercial Support and Ethics:  St. Joseph Hospital CME Program expects faculty to adhere to the AMA ethical opinions on CME and Gifts to Physicians from Industry, as well as the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support.  Please help the CME office ensure that no financial support (including in-kind payment) is received directly from a commercial entity to faculty.  All monies that may be received for a speaking engagement, including honoraria or travel expenses, MUST be received and disbursed through the CME office for any Category 1 presentation.  Failure to do so threatens our accreditation and results in revocation of credit for the event. 
• Honoraria:  Speakers on the St. Joseph medical staff are not offered honoraria, but can be reimbursed up to $150.00 for receipts directly related to costs incurred for preparing an activity. 

Speakers from out of town or not on the medical staff may be provided an honorarium, which will be negotiated prior to confirming the activity.

• Expense reimbursement form

Credit for teaching?  In 2006, the AMA granted accredited CME providers the ability to award Category 1 credit to physicians faculty on a 2:1 basis for original presentations that have been designated for Category 1 credit for participants. See the teaching credit claim form for more information.

St. Joseph Hospital accepts commercial support of CME activities when provided in accordance with the WSMA & ACCME Standards for Commercial Support and the AMA's Ethical Opinions. We work with those companies who adhere to the PhRMA, AvaMed, or NEMA Codes of Ethics.

We believe educational exchange between physicians and industry can benefit patient services.  With that said, commercial entities can in no way direct or control the content of Category 1 CME activities.  To maintain the unbiased spirit of Continuing Medical Education, promotion of commercial interests must remain absent from CME. 

Supporters may ask to attend (but not participate in) educational activities at St. Joseph, with the exception of our weekly Tumor Boards.  We may, from time to time, invite faculty from commercial Speaker's Bureaus, but those speakers must disclose their interests and remain unbiased in every facet of their presentation.  Speakers may not be directly funded by commercial entities, even via in-kind support.  Appropriate monies must be received and disbursed through the CME office; otherwise the event is not eligible for Category 1 credit. Typically funds are received in the form of unrestricted educational grants and are secured with our Letter of Agreement.

The inception of Category 1 CME activity at St. Joseph is determined by staff interest, Quality Services data, and the health-related concerns of local non-profit agencies.  Although commercial entities can offer input in planning a CME activity, that input cannot be the source of direction. 

The CME Coordinator can help you through the process of supporting educational activities.

St. Joseph Hospital is committed to providing Continuing Medical Education activities (CME) that will aid our local physicians in promoting personal and community health, relieving pain and suffering, and treating each person in a loving and caring way.  Our program is designed to reflect our core values of respect, collaboration, stewardship, and social justice.

Our CME Program’s primary target audience is the medical staff of St. Joseph Hospital and referring providers.  Other professionals working cooperatively with our medical staff to deliver personal and community healthcare comprise our secondary audience.  

We are committed to the highest standards in our CME planning and implementation-practices and adhere to ACCME Accreditation Guidelines in fulfillment of this commitment.   

Our CME program addresses professional practice gaps through enhancing physician competency, performance and improving patient outcomes.*  The program achieves this by 1) assessing and meeting the educational needs of our target audience, 2) promoting communication and collaboration within the physician community both across and within specialties, 3) providing timely, relevant, accessible, and inspiring activities that bridge the gap between emerging medical advances and clinical practice, 4) and supporting our vision for every patient receiving safe, evidence-based, compassionate care; every time, every touch.

Our CME program includes the following:

• Category 1 conferences (non-series, as needed);

• Category 1 series activities (Tumor Board, Dermatopathology, etc.);

• AAFP Prescribed Credit activities;

• Joint sponsored activities;

• Category 1 credit for teaching;

• Category 1 credit for Internet POC learning

*A wide array of sources are used to support the what level of change is needed including but not limited to peer review data, quality indicators, dept committee meetings, and current medical journals, assessments by the patient outcomes improvement committee, and a variety of other credible data sources.

Revised 1/2009

The Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC) requires physicians to complete 200 hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME) every 4 years as part of re-licensure.  Of those 200 hours, all may be acquired in Category I, or in any combination of Categories I-V (not to exceed more than 80 hours in any category other than I).  

In lieu of the 200 hour requirement, the Commission will accept a current certificate from any specialty board approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties, or the AMA Physician's Recognition Award (PRA). Basic requirements for the 3-year PRA are at least 150 hours in CME,  60 earned in AMA PRA category 1, and up to 90 in AMA PRA category 1 or 2.  You may apply for the AMA PRA online.

As an accredited CME provider, St. Joseph is beholden to the Washington State Medical Association to assess and document needs, planning, and outcomes for all activities we designate as Category 1.

Definition of CME:  "CME consists of educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public or the profession. The content of CME is the body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of health care to the public [AMA House of Delegates policy #300.988]." (AMA Physician's Recognition Award information booklet Revision 2006)

More specifically, AMA PRA Category 1 activities must: 

• Address a physician audience in both the depth and the scope of its content

• Be sponsored by a US based, ACCME accredited provider or by a state medical society accredited provider, or, in Canada, where special rules apply, by a medical school accredited by the CACMS

• Conform to the AMA definition of CME [stated above]

• Conform to the AMA ethical opinions on Gifts to Physicians from Industry the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support

• Address demonstrated educational needs

• Include clearly stated educational objectives

• Present content which will help physician learners meet the stated objectives

• Use learning methodologies appropriate to the activity's contents and format

• Define evaluation mechanisms with which to assess program quality and relevance to the stated objectives of the activity

• Include a means for the provider to record the actual credits claimed by each physician participant

Definition of AMA PRA category 2 CME:  "Physicians may claim Category 2 credit toward the PRA [Physician's Recognition Award] for such physician directed learning activities as:  the teaching of residents, medical students, or other health professionals; online study; reading authoritative medical literature; or attending live activities not designated for AMA PRA category 1 credit.  In each case, the physician individually determines the educational value of those AMA PRA category 2 activities he or she participates in.  Accredited providers do not designate activities for AMA PRA category 2 credit.  Physicians should claim credit for appropriate AMA PRA category 2 activities on the PRA application form." (AMA PRA Requirements for Accredited Providers Ver. 3.2)

Is AAFP Prescribed credit accepted by other associations?

Have an idea for a CME? 

Option 1: Complete and submit an application

Option 2: Don't have time to jump through all the hoops, call or email us with your idea: Jesi Mattson 360-715-4104

St. Joseph Hospital Events:   Word file

For events of other organizations to be sponsored by SJH:   Word file.  (Joint sponsorship applications are used when an entity outside St. Joseph Hospital is significantly involved in planning and administrating a Category 1 CME activity. Please contact the CME Coordinator for more information.)