Communiqu�                     April 2010
      News from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
In This Issue
Free Electronic Newsletter
Calendar of Events
Message from the President
Register for the CAAHEP Annual Meeting
Are Foreign Physicians Quailified to Enter Allied Health Fields?
Accreditation Actions


Free Electronic Newsletter Subscription

Are you receiving the Health Care Careers e-Letter from the American Medical Association? This free monthly e-mail newsletter covers education and career trends in the allied health professions. Its 16,000 readers and contributors include health professions education program directors, deans, accrediting agencies, professional organizations, certifying/ licensing boards, and federal/state governmental agencies.
 
To subscribe, send an e-mail to Fred Lenhoff  or call (312) 464-4635.



Calendar of Events

April 2010
16th-17th: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Board of Directors Meeting - Louisville, KY
 
18th-19th:  Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Annual Meeting -
The Seelbach Hilton
500 Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 4020
Phone:  502-585-3200
 
May 2010
21st:  Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Board of Directors Conference Call Meeting
 
July 2010
21st-23rd: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Board of Directors Mmeeting, New Orleans, Louisiana

23rd-24th:  Committee on Accreditation Workshop,
New Orleans, Louisiana

September 2010
17th: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Board of Directors Conference Call Meeting

November 2010
19th:  Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Board of Directors Conference Call Meeting

Message from the President
M. LaCheeta McPherson, Ph.D., MLS(ASCP)cm

Since my last message I have attended two meetings representing CAAHEP.  The first trip was to the spring meeting for HPN, the Health Professions Network.  This was the first time in several years that I have attended the HPN meeting. It was exciting to see how the organization has matured. The meeting was in Washington, DC, hosted by the Gaylord Hotel at National Harbor.  

The three day meeting began with an introduction to making visits to Capital Hill and a quick review of the 'asks' that we would be making the next day.  The staff of HPN arranged for me and two other colleagues to visit two senators and two representatives, each representing either Texas or New Mexico.  Three items were on our list of 'asks:' 1. Request that the Department of HHS order and fund a comprehensive workforce study of allied health professions (to be conducted by HRSA); 2. Request increase in HRSA discretionary spending for allied health professions to create awareness of scope and depth of health career opportunities; and 3.  Consider inserting a statement into the Congressional Record recognizing the contributions and supporting the people who are allied health professionals.

I would like to say that we were warmly received by each of the offices that we visited. However it was evident that the congressional staff was sensitive to the current financial state of our country.  This was made evident when one Director of Policy cautioned us on asking for specialized funding. Another asked us why couldn't our organization 'just do it ourselves'.  All seemed interested in healthcare and all seemed knowledgeable of allied health.  It was evident that the issue of healthcare reform laid heavily on the minds everyone in Washington.

The second meeting I attended was in Rosemont, Illinois for the CCCLW, The Coordinating Council on the Clinical Laboratory Workforce.  CAAHEP is a member of this organization to support the interest of Cytotechnologists and Specialists in Blood Banking. We are currently working with NAACLS, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Scientists that accredits the majority of laboratory science professions, to encourage collaboration between our two accrediting agencies. In February I proposed a practice of joint site visits for universities that had both NAACLS and CAAHEP accredited programs.  With the use of a generalist to review common standards, a representative from both NAACLS and CAAHEP could review program specific areas. Overall concerns of the Council included the closing of laboratory programs and the impact these closing will have on the healthcare system.

We have been actively engaged with a subcommittee looking at Distance Education guidelines.  CAAHEP has hired a consultant to work with the subcommittee and to draft documents to present to the Committees on Accreditation in July.  We will provide an update of these activities during our annual meeting in Louisville.  Speaking of which, I would encourage you to attend CAAHEP's annual meeting in Louisville in April.  You can go to the CAAHEP website to find the details of the meeting.

It's Not Too Late to Register for CAAHEP's Annual Meeting
"Win, Place, or Show:  How Can CAAHEP Accreditation Improve the Odds?"
April 18-19, 2010; Louisville, Kentucky


The deadline to register for the 16th Annual CAAHEP Meeting is rapidly approaching.  Be sure that your organization is represented at the meeting and present to vote on several important Commission items.

In addition to the business of the Commission, the program scheduled will give you insight to the latest developments on health care reform and what is going on in Washington, as well as some of the latest technology regarding simulation in the health care field. There will also be a town hall meeting and celebration of the CAAHEP Award for Exceptional Service during the annual awards lunch.

Please visit the CAAHEP website for full details and registration information. Registrations must be submitted by April 9, 2010, in order to receive the "early bird" registration rate.  Should you have any questions, please contact the CAAHEP office.
Are Foreign Physicians Qualified to Enter Allied Health Fields?
Fred Lenhoff, Director of Medical Education Products, American Medical Association

Many international medical graduates (IMGs) come to the U.S. to pursue a career in medicine but are not able to match into a residency program (a requirement to practice medicine in the U.S.). For many of these physicians, a career in a non-physician field may be a viable option.

In the January issue of the Health Care Careers e-Letter, published by the American Medical Association (AMA), we asked whether foreign physicians would be good candidates for allied health care careers in the U.S. Specifically, would most if not all of these individuals have to start from the very beginning of a given field's educational requirements, or might there be some possibility of advanced standing based on their possessing an MD degree from another country?

Readers of the e-Letter provided feedback on this interesting topic, including the following:
  • "The transition from being a physician to being part of the health care team can be a real challenge for these students, and some have not been able to accept the fact that they are in a non-physician role."
  • Our diagnostic medical sonography program "waives all our prerequisites for entry except for English," then awards credit based of the quality of the applicant's medical education.
  • "We find that the greatest hurdle foreign physicians have is verbal communication."
  • "Earning an MD degree from another country does not qualify an individual for advanced standing in any allied health program. Just because the person obtained the MD degree does not mean they have the knowledge or skills to enter such programs as surgical technology, medical assisting, occupational therapy, or physical therapy."
To read more, visit the AMA website.
Accreditation Actions
 
Accreditation Actions:  March 19, 2010
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Continuing
University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO (General) (Baccalaureate, Masters)
University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO (Vascular) (Baccalaureate, Masters)
 
Initial
Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield, ME (General) (Certificate)
Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, WY (General) (Associate)
Rolla Technical Center, Rolla, MO (Vascular) (Certificate) 
 
Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic
Continuing
Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus, Ozark, AR (Certificate)
Brazosport College, Lake Jackson, TX (Associate)
Fresno City College, Fresno, CA (Certificate)
Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center, Ft. Bragg, NC (Certificate)
National Park Community College, Hot Springs, AR (Associate)
Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, OK (Associate)
Southeast Arkansas College, Pine Bluff , AR (Diploma, Associate)
St Petersburg College, Pinellas Park, FL (Associate)
University of Antelope Valley (UAV), Lancaster, CA (Certificate)

Initial
Pro EMS Center for Medics, Cambridg , MA (Certificate)

Probation
California EMS Academy, Foster City, CA (Certificate) 
 
Medical Assistant
Continuing

Augusta Technical College, Augusta, GA (Diploma)
Jackson Community College, Jackson, MI (Certificate)
Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI (Diploma)
Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville, PA (Associate) 
 
Initial
MedTech College, Greenwood, IN (Associate)
Nash Community College, Rocky Mount, NC (Diploma)
National American University, Independence, MO (Associate)
National American University, Independence, MO (Associate)
National College, Bartlett, TN (Associate)
National College, Youngstown, OH (Associate)
National College, Stow, OH (Associate)
Rasmussen College - Green Bay, Green Bay, WI (Associate) 
 
Medical Illustrator
Continuing
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA (Masters) 
 
Perfusion
Continuing
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (Baccalaureate)
Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI (Masters)
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (Masters) 
 
Polysomnographic Technologist
Continuing
Roane State Community College, Harriman, TN (Certificate)
Volunteer State Community College, Gallatin, TN (Certificate)

Initial
Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Lexington, KY (Certificate) 
 
Specialist in Blood Banking
Continuing

American Red Cross Blood Services, Pomona, CA (Certificate)
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX (Certificate)