Friday, November 19, 2004
The Stonegate Conference and Banquet Centre
2401 W. Higgins Road
Hoffman Estates, IL
Recent changes in the ACCME guidelines for commercial support and disclosure place greater onus on CME providers to identify and address potential conflicts of speakers and program committee members. Illinois CME professionals met to explore new changes to the guidelines and evaluate how legislative developments and professional society policies have the potential to affect the relationship between physicians, CME sponsors, and CME activities.

The meeting started when Burt Jacobson, IACME president, welcomed IACME’s largest audience ever. He then welcomed the first speaker, Mary Martin Lowe, MA, Manager of Education and Recognition Services, ACCME, who walked participants through the new ACCME Guidelines for Commercial Support. The meeting continued with a panel discussion featuring Marcella Hollinger, MEd, Illinois State Medical Society; Stanley Bugaieski, MD, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Damon Marquis, Society of Thoracic Surgeons; and Joyce Riffer, Pragmaton.

After lunch, Charles Willis, MBA, Director, PRA Policy and Liaison Activities, American Medical Association, outlined the AMA’s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) guidelines for gifts to physicians from industry, and discussed the Physician’s Recognition Award and the PRA credit system. The meeting wrapped up with Bruce Blehart, Esq, Manager of Government Relations, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, who discussed the implications of Stark II Regulations on CME.

This educational activity was partially supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Kendall Hunt Publishers.

The November 2004 meeting had more participants than any other IACME meeting.

Panelists discussed the ACCME guidelines for commercial support.

Charles Willis outlines new developments within the AMA PRA credit system.

Bruce Blehart detailed the Stark II Regulations.