Instructions for Obtaining SVU-CME Credits

• No later than two (2) weeks before the scheduled program date, submit a complete application form, with all supporting documentation and fees. No late applications will be processed.
• Incomplete applications, including those not accompanied by the appropriate fee, will not be reviewed by the Continuing Education Committee until all requirements are met.
• Ongoing programs must be approved each year, if there have been changes made to the program.
• Applications not submitted by two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled event will not be reviewed and SVU will NOT grant SVU-CME credits for meetings that have already been held. Any applications submitted after the scheduled event will not be considered for SVU-CME credit.
• SVU accredits educational programs and does not award CME to individuals. Individuals seeking CME credits for programs they have attended must request them from the program director.

One (1) credit hour of SVU-CME is granted for each hour of didactic content in a CME program, including lectures, panel discussions, question & answer sessions. One (1) credit hour of SVU-CME is also granted for each hour of hands-on content in a CME program. The number of SVU-CME for hands-on content will NOT exceed the number of SVU-CME granted for didactic instruction. For example, if a program has two hours of lecture (didactic) followed by four hours of hands-on training, the program will be approved for four (4) SVU-CME (two hours didactic and two hours of hands-on), as long as the program meets all of the guidelines established by the SVU.

Program Classifications

SVU will grant CME credits for the following programs:

Short Programs (1-4 hours in length)

Examples include:

• Case Study Review Meetings — Presentation of noninvasive cases for review and/or correlation.
• Literature Review Meetings — Organized journal article or book reviews
• Ongoing Laboratory Conferences — Educational laboratory conferences or correlation conferences.

Long Programs (greater than 4 hours in length)

examples include meetings, symposia, and training programs.

Hospital- or Laboratory-based Instructional Programs

Provides didactic and hands-on training.

CME for Authors

Individuals who are lead author in an SVU publications are eligible for SVU-CME credit, Content must fall into one of the following categories:

• Lead author a an article published in the Journal for Vascular Ultrasound up to 10 credits
• Poster accepted for presentation at the SVU Annual conference up to 5 credits

Authors must complete the SVU-CME application and submit any associated fees within one year of publication or presentation.

Web-Based Programs and Courses

The SVU has recognized the importance of web/internet-based electronic learning (E-learning) and how it has changed the way education is delivered. Since E-learning is usually asynchronous and independent, the issues of content appropriateness, accountability, security and quality control must be addressed. All content for web-based courses and programs must meet or exceed the following guidelines:

Documentation - The Program Director must complete the current application for SVU-CME Credit Hours and attach all required supporting documentation as outlined in the application, in addition to granting access to the CME course/program content, which includes all material that participants are required to review and/or read, along with the post-test and answers.

Content Appropriateness - The course or program content must:

1. Be supported by the course objectives and description, current and accurate as documented in the reference section, and must provide appropriate depth and scope of the subject matter documented in the course content.
2. Have an appropriate post-test exam covering the content and meeting the course objectives.
3. Have at least 10 multiple-choice questions on the post-test for each one-hour of SVU-CME credit.
4. Have the answers to the post-test questions referenced with paragraph and page numbers from the content of the course.
5. Establish a pass grade threshold of no less than 70% for each course or program.
6. Grant the SVU-CME Committee access to the E-learning activity to review the course format in real time as part of the course evaluation. One hour of SVU-CME will be granted for each hour of activity including questions.

Accountability, Security and Quality Assurance - to assure that there is no duplication of courses and programs from web-based SVU-CME providers, and to ensure that all programs and courses are of the highest quality, the SVU requires that all sponsors adhere to the following guidelines regarding security and quality assurance:

1. The program director will complete the SVU-CME Application and Application Checklist and ensure appropriate information is completed and enclosed in the application. The application must be forwarded to the SVU office with all appropriate fees.
2. The sponsor must make available a contact phone number and email address easily accessible on the web site for all course/program participants.
3. The sponsor must make available basic system specifications regarding connectivity, including browser type and third party plug ins.
4. The program sponsor/program director will forward course rosters/attendance records to SVU as stated in the SVU-CME application in addition to submission of the Quarterly Program Summary sheet.
5. The sponsor/program director will maintain course roster/attendance records for at least a period of three years. The attendance records must include the participants name, course/program title, SVU-CME course number, the date the post-test was completed, the number of SVU-CME earned, the sponsoring organization’s name and/or logo, and the signature of the program director.
6. The sponsor will ensure security of the certificate process by not allowing the participant to be able to alter the information on the online certificate before printing.
7. The sponsor/program director must maintain a system for providing the participant with a duplicate online certificate or online transcript for a period of at least three years.
8. The sponsor will maintain Attendee Program Evaluations for at least a period of three years.
9. The sponsor will ensure the participant cannot directly go to the post-test without reviewing the course materials.
10. The sponsor will have the post-test answers cleared upon reentry to the post-test in order to reduce “answer hunting”.
11. The sponsor is responsible for maintaining testing statistics and conducting routine quality assurance of the testing statistics from each course. The quality assurance should include a system for monitoring each question for: appropriateness, correctness, clarity, and ambiguity.
12. The sponsor/program director is responsible for reviewing course appropriateness, relevance to the field of vascular technology, course quality, relevance of course material, quality of content, testing statistics and quality of graphics on an annual basis. These “audits” must be available upon the request of the SVU-CME Committee.

Hands-On Instruction Guidelines

SVU will NOT grant CME credits for meetings in which the ONLY content is hands-on instruction. SVU will, however, grant CME credits for hands-on portions of continuing education programs that combine didactic and hands-on instruction. However, the number of CME credits granted for hands-on instruction will not exceed the number of CME credits granted for didactic instruction for the same program.