AHEC Continuing Medical Education
Internet Point of Care Learning
Carolinas HealthCare System/Charlotte AHEC (CHS/CAHEC) provides a CME credit offering called Internet Point of Care (PoC) Learning. In 2006, the AMA and the AAFP promoted guidelines for CME providers to accredit Point of Care (PoC) Learning activities, a new initiative attempting to make continuing medical education directly relevant to improved patient care. The Charlotte AHEC CME team in partnership with eeds™ developed an online tool that efficiently captures the essential elements of PoC Learning documentation. Physicians may earn up to 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or 20 AAFP Prescribed credits per year by using evidence-based literature to guide patient care. Each time a patient-related topic is researched using an online evidence-based resource, 0.5 credits may be earned. CHS/CAHEC is the first CME provider in the nation to offer both AAFP and AMA credit for Internet PoC Learning.
To qualify for AAFP Prescribed credit, the physician must utilize one of the AAFP approved databases. As of September 2006, the AAFP has approved five databases including: DynaMed, InfoRetriever, PEPID, Physicians' Information and Education Resource (PIER), and UpToDate.
For AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, any evidence-based online resource can be used such as USPSTF recommendations (AHRQ.gov), CDC.gov, and online journals.
CAHEC Librarians are available to assist you with accessing appropriate information sources and database search questions
Earning and tracking credit has been made easy thanks to a partnership between eeds™ (Electronic Education Documentation System) and CHS/CAHEC. eeds™ is best known for providing the familiar magnetic "swipe cards" that CHS/CAHEC uses to capture attendance at CME events. The Web-based system allows physicians to track Internet PoC Learning crdit as they earn it.
Using a simple, five-step template with drop-downs, physicians can quickly record Internet PoC Learning credit. The entire documentation process takes less than a minute, and credit is immediately deposited in the physician's eeds™ account. A modest annual subscription ($35) is required to receive up to 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from Internet PoC Learning.
To obtain your CME credits, go to www.eeds.com and select the "Healthcare Professionals" tab. On the navigation bar to the right, select the "Point-of-Care Learning" icon to take the tour. At the end of the tour, you may try the demo, obtain a subscription, or contact eeds directly for more information.
A subscription to eeds™ also allows you to use other site features, including an online CME bank that stores your AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ captured with the "swipe card" system, the ability to enter credit earned from other activities (e.g. out of town conferences), as well as tracking AMA PRA Category 2 Credits™. CME reports may then be viewed/printed/emailed from any computer, whenever required.
More information or help is available 9:00am – 4:00pm EST Monday thru Friday by calling eeds™ customer service at 828.252.0233.