April 2021
From the President
The following is the President's Report shared at the 2021 Annual Business Meeting of the Commission:
To say 2020 – 2021 has been a disruptive and impactful year for our students, programs, supporting organizations, committees on accreditation (CoAs), and CAAHEP is putting it mildly. I’m reminded of a saying that my previous college president would say often, “If you don’t like change, you better run as far and fast as you can away from healthcare.” However, CAAHEP, its CoAs, and programs have risen to the challenge and been creative, innovative, and embraced change to ensure the best outcomes possible with the pandemic. The people within our entities are what makes this organization so successful and able to adapt and turn challenges into opportunities. This report highlights just a handful of the many accomplishments that have provided a silver lining during the pandemic this past 12 months.
Let’s begin with communication. The timing of the pandemic played right into one of CAAHEP’s strategic plan initiatives, which was to increase communication with our CoAs and constituents. We held a special COVID-19 Zoom session early on with the CoAs to share our COVID-19 position statement, ideas, and plans about the innovative strategies they were employing. Virtual meetings were running as often as every other week with some of the larger CoAs, and we launched the CoA Connections a bi-monthly meeting with all of the CoAs. As time has gone on, the CoA Connections are now held every other month following the board meeting. CoA Connections is a virtual session to share board actions, ideas, and answer questions as the pandemic unfolded. These sessions facilitated open and transparent two-way communication about the innovative ideas and changes that were taking place so that we continued to meet our mission and stayed outcome-focused. We also used CoA Notes, a monthly newsletter electronically distributed to all members of each CoA, to report innovations and changes to policies.
Another area that has been extremely impactful has been the implementation of virtual site visits. Little did we know that a session we ran pre-COVID about this topic would take on a life of its own. I want to thank the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography for being a catalyst. Their willingness to share policies, training and best practices was instrumental in getting many other CoAs up and running with virtual site visits. The CAAHEP Board quickly modified policy language to support virtual site visits and at the time of this writing well over 100 virtual site visits have been completed.
The Board approved three new task forces this past year: Recent Graduate, Distance Education, and International Accreditation. Each of the task forces was provided charges to address key topics and make recommendations for potential actions by the Board.
Mr. Kevin Sloss was selected to serve as the Recent Graduate Commissioner and leader of the Recent Graduate Task Force, which consists of 5 other recent graduates. The group is charged with making recommendations to the Board on topics that impact students. The group is currently providing feedback on the CAAHEP website from the student perspective.
The Distance Education Taskforce was charged with exploring, reviewing, and recommending distance education best practices related to professional accreditation. These recommendations will be focused on professional accreditation policies, practices, and standards related to resources and outcomes (including assessment). The DE Task Force shared their findings and recommendations in the form of a “white paper” at our March 2021 meeting. A new task force is being appointed to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations presented in the paper.
Wishing you all a well and blessed rest of 2021,
Glen
Glen Mayhew, DHSc, NRP
CAAHEP President
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2021 Commissioners Business Meeting |
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The Annual Business Meeting of the CAAHEP Commission was held on April 16, 2021. During the meeting, the Commission approved the 2020 Annual Business Meeting Minutes, the slate of 2021-2022 Board Members was approved, and the CAAHEP Bylaws update was approved.
The 2020 Annual Business Meeting Minutes are posted on the CAAHEP website.
The following is the slate of 2021-2022 Board Members elected:
- Donald Balasa – Sponsoring Organization Representative
- Stacey Ocander – NN2 Representative
- Catherine Rienzo – Committee on Accreditation Representative
- Jennifer Spegal – Committee on Accreditation Representative
The change to the Bylaws was to include a new standing committee, the International Accreditation Review Committee (IARC). Membership on this committee shall be by annual appointment by the Board of Directors and shall consist of representatives of CAAHEP staff, CAAHEP Board members, CoA staff, CoA Board members, and others possessing experience with international programmatic accreditation. The amended Bylaws are posted on the CAAHEP website.
Please direct any questions regarding the Annual Business Meeting to Kathy Megivern.
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CAAHEP Seeks Executive Director Candidates |
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With the retirement of Kathleen Megivern, JD, Executive Director, effective December 31, 2021, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) is seeking candidates for the Executive Director position.
The Executive Director is responsible for leading the organization’s day-to-day operations with reporting responsibility to the CAAHEP Board of Directors. This position is responsible for managing staff, ensuring accreditation services and processes are executed, and making recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect to activities related to the CAAHEP mission and compliance with Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) standards. While CAAHEP holds a Florida mailing address, the office is entirely virtual.
Candidate qualifications include a highly motivated, organized, and mission-driven leader with at least 7 years’ experience in programmatic or institutional accreditation. The individual must hold at minimum an earned Master's degree from an accredited post-secondary academic institution; earned Doctorate preferred. The individual must possess a strong working knowledge of professional accreditation, assessment, quality assurance, higher education, leadership, and have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
This position will be open from April 1, 2021, to May 31, 2021, and candidate reviews and interviews to occur July through September 2021, with an anticipated start date of January 1, 2022. For more information, including full job announcement and application requirements, please visit the CAAHEP website.
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Celebrating Neurodiagnostic Technology Week |
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April 18-24 is Neurodiagnostic Technology Week, and CAAHEP joins the sponsoring organizations supporting the Committee on Accreditation for Education in Neurodiagnostic Technology (CoA-NDT) in recognizing the NDT professionals for all that they have done to provide patient care throughout the COVID pandemic and on a daily basis. A neurodiagnostic technologist records, monitors, and analyzes nervous system function to promote the effective treatment of pathologic conditions. Technologists record electrical activity arising from the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, somatosensory or motor nerve systems using a variety of techniques and instruments. Technologists prepare data and documentation for interpretation by a physician. Considerable individual initiative, reasoning skill, and sound judgment are all expected of the neurodiagnostic technologist. The most common neurodiagnostic procedures are Electroencephalogram (EEG), Evoked Potential (EP), Polysomnogram (PSG), Nerve Conduction Study (NCS), Long Term Monitoring (LTM), and Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM).
There are currently 29 CAAHEP accredited Neurodiagnostic Technology programs that meet CAAHEP Standards and are preparing students to enter the field and successfully perform the duties of the profession. In addition, there are three Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring programs accredited by CAAHEP.
We thank the professionals and following sponsoring organizations during the Neurodiagnostic Technology Week 2021:
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Medical Laboratory Professionals Week |
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Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW) is April 18-24, 2021. This is the 45th celebration of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week and is the time to educate the public about professions in medical labs as well as to celebrate the professionals working in the field.
Medical laboratory professionals and pathologists play a vital role in healthcare on a daily basis and, during the COVID pandemic, their work was even more critical to the nation's safety.
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There are two Medical Laboratory Professions under the CAAHEP umbrella - Cytotechnology and Specialist in Blood Bank Technology/Transfusion Medicine. We thank the professionals who serve on the Cytotechnology Programs Review Committee (CPRC) and the Committee on Accreditation of Specialist in Blood Bank Technology Schools (CoA-SBBT) and the staff that oversee these CoAs. The work of the CoAs and CAAHEP could not be accomplished without the support of the sponsoring organizations of these two professions. Thank you to CoA-SBBT Sponsor, the AABB (formerly American Association of Blood Banks), and the sponsors of the CPRC:
There are currently 10 Specialist in Blood Bank Technology/Transfusion Medicine programs that are CAAHEP accredited and 20 CAAHEP accredited Cytotechnology programs. For additional information on the professions of Cytotechnology and Specialist in Blood Bank Technology/Transfusion Medicine, visit the CAAHEP website.
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The Superheroes of the CoAs |
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During the 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting, CAAHEP was honored to spotlight individuals nominated by their Committee on Accreditation (CoA) as their CoA's Superhero. These individuals and groups were recognized for their support of the CoA, sharing of their expertise, and dedication to excellence in health sciences education accreditation. Throughout 2021, CAAHEP is honored to spotlight these Superheroes in the Communique newsletter. Here are the next four Superhero Spotlights:
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Committee on Accreditation for Anesthesia Technology Education |
Michael Boytin, CRNA EdD, CoA-ATE's Superhero, has been with the CoA since its inception (over 10 years), and:
- shares experiences as an assistant director/educator for a nurse anesthetist program and director of an anesthesia technology program,
- has been a constant presence in the CoA, which is essential for a young profession,
- volunteers for the Program Directors’ Workshop and initial site visits
- and has assisted with developing programs!
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Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology |
Megan Hunsinger, EdD, RCIS, RCES, CRAT, FSICP, has made long-standing and multifaceted contributions to the accreditation process while serving as a CAAHEP/JRC-CVT site visitor for cardiovascular technology programs. In addition to being known as our “go-to” person when we have an urgent need to fill a site visit team, Megan mentors new site visitors and program directors. She's served on the JRC-CVT Forms Revision Committee, where she was instrumental in helping to revise all forms related to the accreditation process. In addition, Megan made invaluable contributions during the JRC-CVT’s implementation of virtual site visits. She served as team leader for the initial virtual site visit, and either team leader or team member for several other virtual site visits.
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Accreditation Review Committee for the Anesthesiologist Assistant |
Rich Bassi, MMSc, MEd, CAA, is a natural leader as demonstrated through his leadership with the ARC-AA as well as his academic appointments. He is the Program Director of the Anesthesiologist Assistant Program sponsored by the Indiana University School of Medicine, and before that Assistant Program Director at South University in Savannah, Georgia. He served on the ARC-AA Board from 2012 to 2020, and as Chair from 2018-2019. He served as the Chair of the ARC's Standards Revision Committee and is a site visitor for the ARC. Rich is deserving of the CoA Superhero Recognition representing the ARC-AA.
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Committee on Accreditation for Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography |
The CoA-ACS is pleased to recognize Michelle Bierig, PhD, MPH, ACS, RDCS, RDMS, RCS, CPHQ, FSDMS, FASE as our Superhero for the field of Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography (ACS). Michelle is the Director, Cardiovascular-Hillcrest South, Hillcrest Healthcare System, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Beginning in 2007, Michelle served on the American Society of Echocardiography Task Force that developed the concept for an educational pathway for Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography. She was the driving force behind the formation of the CoA-ACS and she has continued to work tirelessly on promoting and furthering our mission.
Thank you, Michelle! You are our Superhero!
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Each profession in the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) system has a Committee on Accreditation (CoA) that consists of experts in the profession that are responsible for reviewing programs and making appropriate recommendations for accreditation to CAAHEP. CAAHEP reviews recommendations received from its CoAs in each profession, assures due process was followed and takes final action on an accreditation status.
CAAHEP took the following actions on March 19, 2021. Actions are identified by profession, action taken, date of the next comprehensive evaluation, and whether a progress report to improve program compliance is required. Where available, a link to each program's website is provided below. In some cases, the concentration and/or degree are also specified. Where possible, a link to each program's website is provided below. To view a copy of the most recent accreditation award letter for a program, which includes information about the accreditation decision, visit the program’s listing on the Find An Accredited Program section of the CAAHEP website.
The following program was found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2023. This action requires no progress report and was approved on the consent agenda.
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2026. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
The following program was found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2029. This action requires no progress report and was approved on the consent agenda.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2030. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2031. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2024.
Cardiovascular Technology
The following program was found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The program was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2028.
Recreational Therapy
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2029.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2030.
Medical Assisting
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2026. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Medical Assisting
Surgical Technology
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2026.
Medical Assisting
The following program was placed on probationary accreditation, with one or more Standards requiring critical attention and timely resolution to bring the program into compliance with the Standards and Guidelines and a progress report required to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA).
Anesthesia Technology
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Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775-7709
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