APMs, MACRA, MIPS, PQRS, QPP―these are just a few of the acronyms associated with the array of programs developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in recent years in an effort to improve beneficiary outcomes, enhance clinical experience, improve data and information sharing, and ensure operational excellence in program implementation. In this Viewpoint article, Cathleen Biga, RN, MSN, and Ginger Biesbrock, PA-C, discuss how clinicians can navigate the CMS maze to ensure optimal participation in the new payment models now in place.
This activity is intended for cardiologists, internists, primary care physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), and other clinicians who manage patients with chronic heart failure.
As a provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) must ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its directly provided or jointly provided/co-provided educational activities. Planners, presenters, and other contributors in a position to control the content are required to disclose to the audience all relevant financial relationships he/she and/or his/her spouse or domestic partner may have, occurring within the past 12 months, with any entity producing, marketing, reselling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. When an unlabeled use of a commercial product or an investigational use not yet approved for any purpose is discussed during an educational activity, the contributor should disclose that the product is not labeled for the use under discussion or that the product is still investigational.
ACCF is committed to providing its learners with high-quality activities and materials that promote improvements and quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business or commercial interest. The intent of this disclosure is not to prevent participation in certified educational activities by persons with a financial or other relationship, but rather to provide learners with information on which they can make their own determination whether financial interests or relationships may influence the certified activity.
ACCF assesses conflict of interest (COI) with its faculty, planners, managers, staff, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of certified CME/CNE activities. All relevant potential conflicts of interest that are identified are thoroughly vetted by course directors, ACCF education staff, and members of the Accreditation Compliance Workgroup through a process that includes appropriate peer review for fair balance, scientific objectivity and validity, and patient care and safety recommendations.
Margaret Bowers, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CHFN, AACC, FAANP, has received speakers' bureau fees from Amgen.
Akshay Desai, MD, MPH, FACC, reports receiving research grants from Novartis and consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Cheetah Medical, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Relypsa, Sanofi, and St. Jude Medical.
Alan Wasserman, MD, MACP, FACC, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Kimberly V. Cheramie, MSN, RN-BC, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Cathleen Biga, RN, MSN, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ginger Biesbrock, PA-C, MPH, MPAS, AACC, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
ACCF staff involved in this activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Haymarket Medical Education staff involved in this activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The ACCF designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM from organizations accredited by ACCME.
The American College of Cardiology Foundation is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
The ACCF designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.50 continuing nursing education contact hour.
While offering credits noted above, the module is not intended to provide extensive training or certification in the field.
The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) is not responsible for statements made by any contributor. Statements or opinions expressed in this program reflect the views of the contributors and do not reflect the official policy of the ACCF.
This activity is offered at no cost to participants. Please proceed with the activity until you have successfully completed this program, answered all test questions, completed the post-test and evaluation, and have received a digital copy of your credit certificate. Your online certificate will be saved on myCME within your Profile/CME History, which you can access at any time.
If you have an American College of Cardiology (ACC) account, you can choose to have your credit information sent to your ACC Transcript upon completion of the course. You will be prompted to log in to your ACC account, which will automatically trigger your credit submission. If you do not have an ACC account, you will have the opportunity to create one.
The ACCF recognizes that you are a lifelong learner who has chosen to engage in continuing medical education to identify or fill a gap in knowledge or skill and to attain or enhance a desired competency. As a participant in an ACCF activity, you have the right to expect that your continuing medical education experience with ACCF includes the following.
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