The Path to Accreditation

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The Path to Accreditation

• Q/A for Paramedic Education

Presented By Danny Miller
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The Path to Accreditation

• Introduction
• Accreditation defined
• Why bother?
• The Self Study
• The Site Visit
• Maintaining accreditation
• Questions

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Accreditation Defined...

• To accredit
• To attribute credit
• To consider or recognize as outstanding
• Conforming with a standard
• Websters Dictionary

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Accrediting Agencies

• Institutional
• JCAHO
• Program
• Commission of the Accreditation of Allied Health
  Programs (CAAHEP)
• State Offices

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CAAHEP

• 17 Review Committees
• Accredits 18 Allied Health Occupations
• Recognized by US. Department of Education (Until
  August of 1998)
• Committee on Accreditation of Educational
  Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP)
• Eight Sponsors
• Sixteen Members

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CoAEMSP

• Two Representatives From
• National Association of EMTs
• National Registry of EMTs
• National Association of EMS Educators
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Cardiology
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• American College of Surgeons
• American Society of Anesthesiologists

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Essential Values of Accreditation

• Continuous Self-improvement
• Professional Excellence
• Peer Review and Collaboration
• Civic Responsibility

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Why Bother?

• Good Question!

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Why Bother?

• Uniform assessment of the quality of all aspects
  of the program
• Superior to snapshot methods of measuring
  program effectiveness
• Clearly defines the direction and goals of
  program
• Subscribe to a national standard of professional
  education

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Why Bother?

• Validates Program Needs
• Assists With Appropriate Resource Allocation
• Gives Direction To Strategic Planning

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How does this pertain to us?

• House Bill 405
• Licensure
• Reform of the State EMS offices
• National Standard Curriculum

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Paramedic Education is due for a good shake up!
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Advantages of Accreditation

• Standardize Paramedic education
• Conform to the National Guidelines
• Compare to other programs nationally
• Rated by standards...

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Who writes the standards?

• National Association of EMTs
• National Registry of EMTs
• National Association of EMS Educators
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Cardiology
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• American College of Surgeons
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• Adopted 1978 revised 1988, 1999

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What are the standards?

• Areas
• Sponsorship
• Resources
• Personnel
• Financial
• Physical
• Clinical

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What are the standards?

• Areas...
• Students
• Admission
• Evaluation
• Health
• Guidance
• Disclosure
• Identification

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What are the standards?

• Areas...
• Operational Policies
• Program Evaluations
• Curriculum
• Goals Objectives
• Content
• Field Internship

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Disadvantages

• Time Consuming
• May be perpetual effort
• Accreditation may not be granted!

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Who may seek accreditation?

• Community, technical and junior colleges, senior
  colleges, universities and medical schools
• Hospitals and clinics with postsecondary
  educational institutional accreditation
• Postsecondary vocational/technical schools and
  institutions
• Proprietary schools
• Military medical services
• Institutional consortia comprised of one or more
  of the above

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Who holds accreditation?

• 123 paramedics programs, as of 8/1/2000
• 33 States

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State Mandates for Accreditation

• Alabama
• Colorado
• Florida
• Mississippi
• New Mexico
• Washington
• California (As of 2004)
• New York (As of 2003)

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Initiating the Process

• Application submitted by administrative head of
  program
• Review Standards and Guidelines
• Create Self Study Document
• Answer Self Study Questions
• Enlist Help to Affect Change
• Prepare For Site Visit

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Self Study

• Purpose
• Honest, critical, self-evaluation against a set
  of standards
• True understanding of your program
• Ideal opportunity to improve
• Coordinator needed
• Team effort, not recommended for a single person

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Self Study

• Involvement
• Program Director
• Medical Director
• Instructors, faculty, clinical staff
• Advisory Committee
• Administration (Dean, Academic Depts.)
• Other allied health programs
• Other accredited paramedic programs
• Accrediting agency

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Self Study

• Process
• Review essentials and guidelines
• Identify goals (short term and long term)
• Divide up tasks and sections
• Identify deficiencies and draft responses
• Meet regularly to review and discuss
• Compile and organize all documentation
• Submit the Self-Study

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Self Study

• Format
• Question and answer design
• Narrative or list (appropriate to question)
• Make sure you answer the question
• In complexity, seek simplicity (brevity is
  beautiful)
• Use exhibits and charts liberally
• Be candid about areas of improvement and planned
  changes

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Self Study

• Submit
• Loose leaf notebook w/ tabs
• One sided copying
• White paper
• Organize per the study questions

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Self Study

• After the Self-Study...
• Reviewed by CAAHEP
• Referee assigned to your process
• Possible delays
• Document clarification
• Correct essentials
• Site visit scheduled

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Site Visit

• Day One
• Meet With
• Program Director
• Institution Officials
• Medical Director
• Program Faculty
• Clinical Faculty
• Students/Graduates

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Site Visit

• Day One
• Meet With Advisory Committee
• Tour Resources
• Review Records

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Site Visit

• Day Two
• Visit Clinical Sites
• Visit Field Internship Sites
• Meet With Preceptors
• Clarify Information - Program Director
• Prepare Report
• Closing Meeting

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Costs

• Application/Self Study Review Fees 750.00
• Site Evaluation Fee (Direct Expenses) Average
  2,000.00
• Annual Fee 750.00
• Increasing to 950.00 in 3 yrs

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Stumbling Blocks

• Sponsorship
• Inadequate Medical Control
• Uncontrolled/Unfocused Internship
• Inadequate Program Evaluation

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Pitfalls to avoid

• Not starting the process
• Waiting until your program is perfect
• Confusion Ask for clarification
• Avoid a solo effort

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Questions?

• Email me.
• Thank You