27,285 healthcare practitioners activate CPD e-portfolios

A total of 27,285 healthcare practitioners in Qatar have activated their CPD e-portfolio account with 325,478 activities as on January 3, the Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners, Accreditation Department (QCHP-AD) has revealed.The National CPD (Continuous Professional Development) accreditation system came into force on March 7, 2016.Currently, there are 12 QCHP CPD accredited providers in Qatar including healthcare facilities and academic institutions (governmental and non-governmental). During 2016, a total of 712 CME/CPD activities were accredited either by QCHP CPD accredited providers or directly by QCHP-AD. Moreover, QCHP-AD recognises the healthcare practitioners’ participation in accredited group-learning activities conducted outside Qatar, as long as the activity is accredited by an international accreditation body recognised by QCHP-AD.The National CME/CPD programme and framework provide healthcare practitioners the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that might include accredited and non-accredited activities, self-learning and group-learning activities, online and face-to-face activities, internal and external activities. The QCHP-AD has also announced that The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) has recognised the CPD Accreditation System of Qatar as substantially equivalent to RCPSC’s CME accreditation programme from January 1, 2017 to 2020. The recognition was the culmination of collaboration with QCHP-AD and RCPSC through its Royal College Canada International RCCI which contributed to the development of the National CPD Accreditation System, followed by a meticulous review of the system and its implementation. QCHP-AD and RCPSC have signed two other important agreements; the first is a recognition of credit agreement by which any CPD credits granted by QCHP-AD-accredited activity will be recognised as equivalent to Royal College Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit and vice versa. The second is an agreement by which RCPSC will recognise fulfilment of QCHP-AD CPD cycle requirements as equivalent and substitutive for participation in the RCPSC’s MOC programme. The National CPD accreditation system is currently recognised by The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. Its credit system is recognised by the American Medical Association and the American Academy for Family Physicians. Being an Internationally recognised accreditation body, it assures the people of Qatar that healthcare practitioners working in the country are participating in high quality CPD activities to stay competent and provide their patients with the best and safest care.The National CME/CPD programme and framework provide healthcare practitioners the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities