CAAHEP Communiqu� October 2012

In the October 2012 Issue

From the President

State Authorization Has Not Gone Away

Developing Lactation Consultant Programs in Academia

Health Professions Pathways

Where the Jobs are

Accreditation Actions

Quick Links

CAAHEP Website

Find an Accredited Program

More About CAAHEP

CAAHEP Members & Commissioners

CAAHEP Board Meeting Schedule

Accreditation actions will take place at the following upcoming Board of Directors Meetings. Following each meeting, the actions taken will immediately be reflected on the CAAHEP website.

Nov. 16-17, 2012

Tampa, FL

Jan. 23-24,2013

Tampa, FL

Mar. 15, 2013 Conference Call Meeting

May 17, 2013

Conference Call Meeting

Welcome New Commissioner

The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics has appointed Catherine Carter, Executive Director, as their CAAHEP Commissioner.

Welcome New CoA Director

Welcome Jackie L. Long-Goding, PhD, RRT-NPS, the new Executive Director for the Committee on Accreditation for Education in Neurodiagnostic Technology.

For more information on the CoA-NDT, please visit their website.

Mark Your Calendar

CAAHEP 2013 Annual Meeting

April 14-15, 2013

Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, SC

CAAHEP Social Media Sites

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From the President

Cameron Harris,
RPSGT

The use of "alternative delivery systems" continues to be a hot topic among many CAAHEP-accredited education programs today. Just as education programs contemplate the best way to reach beyond the classroom (and in some cases beyond state borders) to a larger audience in a more efficient manner, CAAHEP has considered how to best serve current and future programs by effectively disseminating useful information to a larger audience than would be possible at an on-site meeting. In addition, the Board has considered ways to more efficiently interact with Commissioners on matters that require action by the Commission. October has turned out to be a banner month that has proven CAAHEP's "alternative delivery system" with two webinars and our first web-based Commission meeting.

CAAHEP reached beyond the traditional "seated meeting" format by offering two webinars to an audience coast to coast. On October 8, 2012, nearly 400 people registered for "Advisory Committees: Meeting Expectations and Beyond" led by Joseph Long, Ed.D., CST/FAST. Then on October 18, over 150 people participated in Dr. Cecilia Rokusek's session on another hot topic, "Effective Inter-professional Faculty Development." Both webinars received outstanding reviews and are prime examples of the ability to disseminate valuable information with no travel expense and little interruption of the participant's daily schedule. To enhance the value of these sessions, they and other previously recorded CAAHEP webinars will be posted to the CAAHEP website.

CAAHEP also held its first online Commission Special Meeting on October 16. This meeting was held specifically for determination of a new profession's eligibility to participate in accreditation by CAAHEP. Representatives of the group, defining themselves as Clinical Research Professionals, participated in an interactive session that allowed them to answer questions from Commissioners about the nature and educational requirements of their profession. Commissioners were able to discuss the motion interactively and voting was accomplished via an electronic poll. The positive outcome of the vote was displayed for all participants to see. This proved to be a very efficient manner for conducting the business of CAAHEP.

Clinical trials are conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of drugs, biologics, and medical devices used in medicine and are closely monitored for compliance with federal and international regulations. These protocols are conducted by clinical research professionals under the supervision of a qualified medical professional, usually referred to as a "principle investigator." Clinical Research Professionals fall into two basic categories. Clinical Research Coordinators (CRC) manage the protocol at clinical sites which may be located throughout the country or throughout the world. Clinical Research Associates (CRA) are employed by the sponsors of clinical trials to coordinate activities at various sites by collaborating with CRCs to insure that all regulatory requirements are met and documented. Congratulations to the Clinical Research Profession! A Committee on Accreditation for the new profession is being formed and Standards are being developed, so there are more votes to come.

With the success of these "alternative delivery systems" this month, CAAHEP will continue to look for other uses of this type of cost-saving, innovative alternative delivery system to provide education and information to our communities of interest.

Just So You Know..."State Authorization" Has Not Gone Away

There was a lot of publicity recently when the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would no longer enforce a requirement that had been placed in their regulations that distance education programs would have to obtain permission to operate in every state in which they enroll at least one student.

While the Department's decision was good news, the issue did not go away. In fact, it moved to the forefront in many states. As one observer said, "the genie is out of the bottle." Many states already had laws on the books that required registration or some other form of authorization but had never enforced them, while a couple of states saw a revenue opportunity and swiftly passed such laws. Most states simply do not have the manpower to enforce the laws and with the threat of federal enforcement now gone, many colleges will simply wait to get caught rather than paying the registration fees or going through whatever process the state has set up.

There is another troubling aspect to this controversy - some of the state laws also say that placing even one student in a clinical or externship site also triggers a "physical presence" in the state and requires authorization.

Just so you know, CAAHEP has assembled a chart that provides a "thumbnail" sketch of what the various states require in terms of both distance education and clinical placements. Proceed at your own risk!

Encouraging the Development of Lactation Consultant Programs in Academia

Submitted by the Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC)

Has your institution considered offering a lactation consultant program? The lactation consultant allied health profession emerged in 1985 and there are currently more than 25,000 board certified lactation consultants in 90 countries. Lactation consultants are essential members of the health care team who help families make informed choices about the best way to feed their babies. They consult with mothers and healthcare staff about the management of breastfeeding.

Many global initiatives reflect an increased demand for skilled lactation consultant services to mothers and infants. In the U.S., the Surgeon General issued a Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding in 2011. The Joint Commission has begun measuring breastfeeding outcomes in healthcare facilities. The Affordable Care Act of 2012 includes provisions for access to breastfeeding support. A global Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative promotes optimal breastfeeding practices in facilities throughout the world. Corporations are establishing worksite lactation support programs for employees and their families. In addition, skyrocketing obesity rates and accompanying health risks call for protecting infants through breastfeeding.

Where the Jobs are: Career and Technical Education

Submitted by
Fred Donini-Lenhoff,

Medical Education Communications Director, AMA

In a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education Education says "bolster the nation's career- and technical-education system so more people can take advantage of the training." Indeed, career and technical education "holds the promise of well-paying middle-class jobs," with 29 million positions paying anywhere from $35,000 to $75,000 annually.

The article references a new report, "Career and Technical Education: Five Ways That Pay Along the Way to the B.A.," that calls for a nationwide "learning and earning exchange" that "can bring transparency to the relationship between career and technical education and the labor market." In addition, it calls for the creation of specific "career- and technical-educational programs of study that integrate high-school and post-secondary curriculums with employer-based training."

For this and other articles on health care careers and education, be sure to subscribe to AMA MedEd Update, from the American Medical Association. This free monthly email newsletter features news and updates covering medical schools, graduate medical education, continuing physician professional development, and health care careers.

Accreditation Actions

The following programs achieved CAAHEP accreditation at the September 21, 2012, Board of Directors meeting. Where possible, there are links directly to each program's website.

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Continuing

Case Western Reserve University-Cleveland, Cleveland, OH (Masters)

Cardiovascular Technology

Initial

Fortis Institute-Nashville, Nashville, TN (Invasive Cardiovascular Technology) (Associate)

Sanford Brown College - Dearborn, Dearborn, MI (Adult Echocardiography) (Associate)

Sanford Brown College-Milwaukee, West Allis, WI (Adult Echocardiography) (Associate)

Cytotechnology

Continuing

Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC (Certificate)

Diagnostic Medical Sonography