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MQA Q3 2014 - 2015
Continuing Education
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This quarter launched MQA’s first mandatory continuing education/continuing medical education (CE/CME)
hours reporting cycle. Continuing education keeps practitioners up-to-date on medical advances and new
information affecting each profession. Previously, the over one million health care professionals were required to
complete CE/CME hours, but were not required to provide documentation except in the case of a post-renewal
audit. If they do not report their required courses by the expiration date, they will not be able to renew their
license.
MQA created the Are You Renewal Ready? (AYRR) campaign to educate health care practitioners, their employers
and CE/CME providers about the new requirements. Messaging focused on reporting continuing education
as it is completed and avoiding waiting until the last minute. These messages have been direct mail to the
practitioner, as well as outreach to our boards, professional associations, hospitals and health facilities.
The Department licenses 41 different professions under more than 100 different license types. Licensees in all
professions have received information over the past two years explaining their upcoming requirements. The first
groups of health care practitioners to report include dietitians, nutritionists, nutrition counselors and registered
respiratory therapists, certified respiratory therapists, and respiratory practitioners (both critical and non-critical
care). Their mandatory renewal is May 31, 2015.
MANDATORY REPORTING
HELPING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
MAINTAIN CREDETIALS IN FULL SWING
The Department shall implement an electronic continuing education tracking system for each new biennial renewal cycle for which
electronic renewals are implemented after the effective date of this act and shall integrate such system into the licensure and
renewal system.
Section 456.025(7), Florida Statutes
states:
This section explains how MQA is preparing
licensees to use online tracking for continuing
education credits. Over the next two years, each
profession in a phased rollout will be required to
include CE/CME credit documentation with
license renewal.