ASTRO's education programs recognized with ACCME accreditation

The American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) education credentials have been recognized and upgraded by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) from Accreditation to Accreditation with Commendation, approved at the ACCME's December 2014 meeting. ASTRO's Accreditation status was renewed on March 31, 2014, for four years and has now been extended for two additional years as Accreditation with Commendation until March 31, 2020. The ACCME is the national accrediting board for all medical education organizations in the U.S. that administer courses and confer Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits to physicians and health care providers.

"ASTRO is proud to be recognized for the exceptional education programs we produce that enhance and strengthen the professional skills of the entire radiation oncology treatment team," said Bruce G. Haffty, MD, FASTRO, chair of ASTRO's Board of Directors. "To be recognized by the ACCME with 'Accreditation with Commendation' is an honor and testament to the significant depth and value of ASTRO's investment in its comprehensive education programs. ASTRO is committed to providing meaningful learning opportunities that equip the multidisciplinary treatment team with up-to-date knowledge and techniques, resulting in high quality cancer care for our patients."

Approximately 20 percent of the medical education organizations currently accredited by the ACCME have achieved "Accreditation with Commendation" status. In its December 4, 2014, notification letter to ASTRO, the ACCME commented that ASTRO is in compliance with all 22 of the ACCME's Accreditation Criteria and that ASTRO demonstrates that "yours is a learning organization and a change agent for the physicians you serve," with an "engagement with your environment in support of physician learning and change that is a part of a system for quality improvement."

ACCME accreditation is a voluntary, self-regulatory system that assures the public and the medical community that accredited CME provides physicians with relevant, effective education that meets their learning and practice needs. Accreditation standards ensure that CME is designed to be independent, free of commercial bias and based on valid content. The ACCME accreditation system is recognized as a national model by federal and state government agencies, other healthcare accrediting bodies and the profession of medicine.