Patient Safety CME

Patient safety and risk management is a top priority for health care providers in the Commonwealth. During the past decade, an emphasis has been placed on patient safety and what doctors can do to improve methods that protect patients. In most states, CME credits are required in the area of patient safety/risk management for license renewal.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine requires:

  • 100 total credit hours of CME in the two-year license cycle
  • A minimum of 20 of the total credit hours in Category 1
  • 12 credit hours in the areas of patient safety/risk management (Category 1 or 2)


      Category 1 vs. Category 2 credit hours

      Category 1 and Category 2 are defined by the American Medical Association (AMA):

      There are two categories of AMA credit. Generally speaking, Category 1 activities are designated by an accredited provider. Examples include attendance and presentations at a conference where Category 1 will be given. Physicians may also earn credit for publishing an article in a peer-reviewed journal and meritorious learning experiences that have been pre-approved for credit.

      Category 2 activities, by contrast, have not been formally designated by an accredited provider for category 1 credit. Individual physicians may claim Category 2 credit for learning experiences that have improved the care they provide their patients. Category 2 activities include reading journal article and consulting colleagues.

      Physicians may claim Category 2 Credit for such learning activities as:

      • Teaching residents, medical students or other health professionals
      • Unstructured online searching and learning
      • Reading authoritative medical literature
      • Consultation with peers and medical experts
      • Small group discussions
      • Self assessment activities
      • Medical writing
      • Preceptorships
      • Research
      • Participating in live activities not designated for Category 1 Credit


      Physicians determine the number of credits by claiming one (1) Category 2 Credit for each 60-minute hour engaged in the learning activity. Physicians may claim credit in 15 minute increments, or .25 credit hours, and should round to the nearest quarter hour. Category 2 credit hours can be documented in the form of a physician log.

      If any of the patient-safety credit hours that a have been earned as Category 1, they can be counted toward both the Category 1 requirement and the patient safety/risk management requirement.

      Resources

      To satisfy patient safety and risk management requirements, orthopaedic surgeons can use the following resources:

      Category 1
      Category 2