Pharmaceutical CME: Measuring Program Effectiveness in the Compliance Environment

This publication has been discontinued on December 9, 2011.

Introduction

Abstract

Pharmaceutical CME departments struggle to measure performance for a number of reasons. The lack of hard measures for medical education, along with a fear of appearing non-compliant stops many companies from tracking return on investment (ROI). Many medical education departments use post-CME outcomes measures to judge the effectiveness of their investments in CME events. Unfortunately, attendance figures are the only hard measurement available from outcomes measurements - and high attendance numbers do not always translate into effective programs.

Cutting Edge Information' s study presents best practices and strategies for measuring CME program effectiveness, as well as explores the recent changes that pharmaceutical CME teams have undergone since the Office of Inspector General (OIG) published its guidance document in 2003. The study is a comprehensive look at the pharmaceutical industry' s strategies and support for CME in the current compliance environment.

Pharmaceutical CME: Measuring Program Effectiveness in the Compliance Environment explores the current challenges facing continuing medical education, as well as includes trend analysis, successful strategies and best practices. The study' s major focus areas include:

• CME Structure, Staffing and Spending - Cutting Edge Information collected case studies and benchmark data to underscore CME investment trends and reorganization strategies to remain compliant with industry regulations.
• CME Program Strategies and Goals - Analysts compared industry-leading strategies and outlined goals for CME departments.
• Grants Process - Our study identifies best practices in standardizing the CME grants request process. The study also outlines changes in the process to meet with new compliance standards.
• Evaluating Program Management and Effectiveness - The most effective CME departments in the pharmaceutical industry invest in various vehicles to deliver medical education to target physician audiences. Cutting Edge Information compiled best practices and industry trends regarding the ideal CME media mix, including live events, eCME and enduring content.
• Performance Measurement - Our analysts took a strategic look at hard and soft measures that pharma companies use to determine return on investment and return on education.
• CME Compliance - The study outlines top compliance challenges and presents solutions for pharmaceutical companies to operate effective CME programs in an ever-changing compliance environment.

Charts and Graphics

• Figure 1.1: CME Department Organization: Centralized vs. Decentralized
• Figure 1.2: CME Departments' Reporting Relationships
• Figure 1.3: CME Staffing in FTEs by Company
• Figure 1.4: Average Percentage of Dedicated Staff Time Given to Media Mix
• Figure 1.5: CME Staffing Compared to Previous Year
• Figure 1.6: CME Staffing Projections for Coming Year
• Figure 1.7: Challenges to CME Program Management
• Figure 1.8: Yearly CME Budgets at Surveyed Companies
• Figure 1.9: Media Mix Spending: Budget Breakdown by Types of CME
• Figure 1.10: CME Budgets Compared to Previous Year
• Figure 1.11: CME Budget Projections for Coming Year
• Figure 2.1: Breakdown of how Companies Align their CME Activities
• Figure 2.2: Percent of CME Departments Receiving Input from Each Function
• Figure 2.3: Top Challenges Faced by Participating Pharmaceutical CME Programs
• Figure 2.4: Effectiveness of Companies' CME Strategies
• Figure 2.5: Percent of Companies CME Strategy
• Figure 2.6: Percent of Companies Supporting CME by Continent

• Figure 4.1: Number of CME Events Sponsored Compared to Last Year
• Figure 4.2: Number of CME Events Supported by Surveyed Companies Annually
• Figure 4.3: CME Spending Per Event at Surveyed Companies
• Figure 4.4: Projections for Number of CME Events Sponsored in the Coming Year
• Figure 4.5: Average Media Mix: Participation in Live vs. eCME Events
• Figure 4.6: Media Mix As a Percentage of Company Budget
• Figure 4.7: Media Mix as a Percentage of FTEs' Dedicated Time
• Figure 4.8: Top Challenges Faced by Participating Pharmaceutical CME Programs

• Figure 5.1: CME Soft Goal Performance Measurement Process
• Figure 5.2: Percentage of Drug Companies that Track CME Return on Investment (ROI)
• Figure 5.3: Companies' Self-Assessments of CME Events' Return on Investment (ROI)

• Figure 6.1: Top Challenges Faced by Participating Pharmaceutical Companies
• Figure 6.2: US Sentencing Commission Guidelines

Related Reports