Guideline A: Expert Review and Panel Review
CCCEP’s Accreditation process for learning activities that are not part of a Conference or Regularly Scheduled Series contains two distinct review steps:
- The first – Expert Review - occurs prior to submitting the application for Accreditation.
- The second – Panel Review - occurs after submitting the application for Accreditation. Panel Review involves an assessment of the content and Learner Assessment components of a Learning Activity for compliance with CCCEP’s accreditation requirements. It is conducted by external pharmacy professionals (three to four members per panel) engaged by CCCEP.
Expert Review
1. The Learning Activity will be reviewed by two external expert reviewers who complete, sign and submit the Expert Review Release Statement.
1.1 One expert reviewer must be a Canadian pharmacy professional, unless an exemption is granted by CCCEP.
1.2 The external expert reviewer may not be:
1.2.1 An Author of the Learning Activity or an individual who works closely with the Author;
1.2.2 A presenter of the Learning Activity; Expert reviewers can become presenters after the program has received Accreditation, but could not serve in the role of expert reviewer after assuming the role of a presenter.
1.2.3 An employee of the program Provider within the past two years; or
1.2.4 An individual with an employment, financial or other contractual relationship with the Sponsor within in the past two years.
Panel Review
Regular Panel Review
- Following the submission of an application for Accreditation, the content (inclusive of the Learner Assessment) of all learning activities are submitted to a review panel comprised of pharmacy professionals who are representative of the intended audience for the Learning Activity.
2.1 The review panel is selected by CCCEP and their identity is known only to CCCEP.
2.2 Each panelist completes a Learning Review Report, the contents of which are used for CCCEP to prepare a preliminary report that is issued to the Provider, containing comments on the Learning Activity and requirements to facilitate Accreditation.
Alternate Panel Review
3. Prior to submitting an application for Accreditation, Providers may wish to consider their eligibility for the use of an Alternate Panel Review Process.
3.1 Eligibility for Alternate Panel Review:
3.1.1 The Provider must have written approval from CCCEP prior to using Alternate Panel Review.
3.1.2 A Provider is eligible to use Alternate Panel Review if:
3.1.2.1 The Learning Activity has been accredited within the past 90 days by another continuing health education Accreditation organization; and/or
3.1.2.2 The Learning Activity is larger than 10 CEUs and has been developed by a Provider who is an Academic Institution or unit thereof.
3.2 Requirements to Use Alternate Panel Review:
3.2.1 The Provider will form a Learning Activity planning group/advisory group who is involved in all phases of the development of the Learning Activity.
3.2.2 The membership of the Learning Activity planning/advisory group must include at least two pharmacy professionals, representative of the target audience in pharmacy.
3.2.3 The pharmacy professional members of the planning/advisory group will complete a Learning Review Report (Learning Review Report – Learning Activity Planning Group).
3.2.4 The report will be submitted to CCCEP with the other Learning Activity materials at the time of application for Accreditation.
