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Stanford CME has created a comprehensive toolkit to support planners in hosting accredited continuing education on YouTube. This resource guides faculty planners and CE/CME providers through the necessary steps to ensure compliance Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in CME.

Key Steps for Hosting Accredited Continuing Education on YouTube

Download the Key Steps Document
In selecting online platforms to host for accredited education, providers should ensure that the platforms utilized are not ineligible companies.
✓  Ensure you use this definition: Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
✓  Providers may have to conduct research about the company, its subsidiaries, and/or find the platform’s Terms of Service to determine eligibility.
STEP 1: Before you begin planning your education, collect, identify and mitigate financial relationships that are relevant to the content of the continuing education activity.

STEP 2: Prepare to host your Accredited Education on YouTube.

 Review the Resources for Health Educators on the YouTube Help Page.

✓  Providers should familiarize themselves with the YouTube platform, so that it is configured properly to host accredited continuing education.

✓  Email youtube-health-educators@google.com for questions related to publishing videos associated with accredited activities on YouTube.

Ensure that learners are able to engage with the accredited education without having to click through, watch, listen to, or be presented with product promotion or product-specific advertisement.

✓  Management of Ads: Channel Level
  •  Providers should contact youtube-health-educators@google.com to learn more about how to manage channel-level ads
    • No marketing or promotion through YouTube ads will appear on the provider’s channel and before, within or around an accredited activity.
✓  Management of User Data
  • YouTube ads and recommended videos are generated based on user activity. While providers cannot be held responsible for managing users' ad preferences, they should educate learners on how to adjust these settings on the platforms they use. This empowers learners to make informed decisions that best suit their needs. For instance, learners can use resources provided by YouTube to customize their ad preferences within the platform.

Before the learner engages in the education, ensure that you disclose to learners the presence or absence of relevant financial relationships for all persons in control of content.

✓  If commercial support has been provided, the provider must disclose the name(s) of the ineligible company(ies) that gave the commercial support and the nature of the support.

✓  The ACCME recognizes that providers have varied production workflows for online education. The methods described here will allow providers to maintain compliance with the ACCME standards. You may select the strategy that aligns with the resources that are available to you and align with your processes. You can also identify your own strategy as long as it maintains compliance with the ACCME standards.

Embedding Disclosure Information into the Video Asset

  • Incorporate the ACCME-required disclosures and compliance statements within the video content itself.
  • Useful in scenarios when the disclosures will not require updates to reflect the most current information.


Leveraging Online Tools and Features

  • CE Disclosure Information Bumper: Incorporate a templated slide before all accredited videos prompting learners to check the disclosures via provided links.
  • YouTube Info Card: Utilize the info card feature to direct learners to the disclosure information.
  • Link in Description: Include a link to the disclosure information in the video description.
     

Utilizing Providers Website/Portal

  • Post all ACCME-required disclosures and compliance statements on the course description page of your website.
  • Useful in scenarios when learners access your website prior to launching the video.

Best Practices for Content Development

CME Providers must prioritize these areas in online content development. It’s essential for providers to adhere to federal, state, and institutional guidelines regarding Copyright, HIPAA, and Data Use. These best practices are meant to complement, not replace, these critical policies.
✓ Additionally, providers should establish a robust process to adapt to policy or setting changes on online platforms as these adjustments are inevitable over time.
Copyright Compliance

✓ Original Content: Create and use original content whenever possible to avoid copyright infringement.
✓ Licensed Material: If using third-party content (e.g. music, images, video clips), ensure you have the appropriate licenses or permissions.
✓ Fair Use: Understand and apply the principles of fair use but be cautious and seek legal advice if unsure.
✓ Attribution: Properly attribute any third-party content used, following the required format and guidelines.
✓ Regular Audits: Conduct regular audits of your content to ensure ongoing compliance with copyright laws and licenses.

HIPAA Compliance

✓ Patient Data De-identification: Ensure that any content involving patient information complies with HIPAA regulations by de-identifying patient data to protect patient privacy.
✓ Authorization: Obtain necessary patient authorizations before using any identifiable health information in educational content.

Author Permissions

✓ Obtain Consent: Ensure all presenters and participants grant permission to use their likeness, voice, and content in videos.
✓ Clear Terms: The release should clearly outline how the content will be used and distributed and any associated rights.
✓ AI Usage: Ensure that your release has been updated to account for downstream AI usage, including the potential for content to be used in AI training and applications.
✓ Platform Policies: Be cognizant of the platform’s policy regarding content usage, especially concerning AI and third-party rights, and ensure your releases align with these policies.
✓ Review and Update: Regularly review and update the consent process and documentation to reflect any changes in legal requirements or platform policies.
Download the Key Steps Document