Purpose
KuzminSLP is an ASHA Approved CE Provider. It is the KuzminSLP CE committee’s policy to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all CE courses. The desired outcome of this policy is to conduct CE courses that are free from the appearance of or actual conflicts of interest (“COI”) and to avoid the introduction/demonstration of bias in favor or against a product, service, or device in return for known or unknown personal and professional gain. The intent of this policy is to ensure that any potential conflict will be identified openly so that the course participants may form their own judgments about the presentation with the full disclosure of facts.
References
The KuzminSLP CE program’s policy to identify and resolve conflicts of interest is drawn from The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Continuing Education Board (CEB) Requirement 3: Transparency in Course Planning, Delivery, and Marketing. Further information about the CEB Requirements may be found on the ASHA website.
Policy
KuzminSLP CE courses will adhere to the ASHA CEB Requirement 3. All individuals in a position to influence the content of a course to be offered for ASHA CEUs must disclose any relevant financial or nonfinancial relationship(s) that might affect independent involvement in the proposed CE course. Any speaker or planning committee member who refuses to disclose financial or nonfinancial relationships will be disqualified from participating in the planning and implementation of the course.
The CE disclosure process requires completion and submission of the disclosure forms indicating no conflicts of interest or indicating relevant financial or nonfinancial relationships that could be perceived as a conflict of interest. Our process for disclosing and resolving conflicts of interest is outlined below.
Definitions
- Bias: A particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.
- Conflicts of Interest (COI): Situations where personal and/or financial considerations compromise judgment or where the situation may appear to provide the potential for professional judgment to be compromised. Conflicts of interest may arise in continuing education since the potential exists for professional judgment and practice to be biased by an economic interest in, or personal benefit from, professionally related commercial enterprises.
- Relevant Financial Relationships: Instructional personnel have a relevant financial relationship if that relationship could influence the information presented in the course and could be perceived as a conflict of interest by learners.
- Relevant Nonfinancial Relationships: Instructional personnel have a relevant nonfinancial relationship if that relationship could influence the information presented in the course and could be perceived as a conflict of interest by learners.
Procedure to Identify, Resolve, and Disclose Relevant Financial and Nonfinancial Relationship(s)
Identifying and Resolving Relevant Financial and Nonfinancial Relationship(s)
Individuals Planning and Developing Course Content
KuzminSLP requires that all individuals involved in developing course content to be offered for ASHA CEUs disclose relevant financial and nonfinancial relationship(s).
a) Prior to participating in the development of a course’s content, all individuals must complete a disclosure form. Individuals who refuse to complete a disclosure form will be disqualified and may not participate in developing course content.
b) KuzminSLP reviews the completed disclosure forms.
c) In the event of an identified financial or nonfinancial relationship, one or more of the following actions will take place to resolve the potential COI:
- Engage the planner/speaker in a guided interview process to understand how the relationship may influence the course content.
- The individual may withdraw from the planning committee.
- Exclude the individual from planning the parts of the course related to the COI.
- Subject the course to peer review by the planning committee to ensure the absence of bias in its content.
- Submit the course for peer review to an external content expert.
d) KuzminSLP communicates with all individuals involved in developing course content 30 days prior to course delivery to identify any relevant financial or nonfinancial relationship(s) that may have developed since course planning was completed.
All actions to identify and resolve conflicts of interest among individuals developing the course will be documented and retained for seven years by KuzminSLP.
Speakers/Authors
KuzminSLP requires that all individuals involved in developing and delivering course content to be offered for ASHA CEUs disclose relevant financial and nonfinancial relationship(s).
When an individual accepts the invitation to participate as instructional personnel in a course to be offered for ASHA CEUs, KuzminSLP will obtain a disclosure form of any relevant financial and nonfinancial relationships related to the course content. Individuals who refuse to complete a disclosure form will be disqualified and may not participate in developing or delivering course content.
KuzminSLP reviews the completed disclosure forms.
In the event of an identified financial or nonfinancial relationship, one or more of the following actions will take place to resolve the potential COI:
- Engage the speaker/authors in a guided interview process to understand how the relationship may influence the course content.
- The individual may withdraw from the planning committee or from being a speaker/author.
- Exclude the individual from planning or delivery of the parts of the course related to the COI.
- Subject the course to peer review by the planning committee or an external content expert to ensure absence of bias in its content.
In addition to initial disclosure conducted prior to approving speakers/authors, KuzminSLP communicates with all instructional personnel 30 days prior to course delivery to identify any relevant financial or nonfinancial relationship(s) that may have developed since course planning was completed.
All actions to identify and resolve conflicts of interest among the individuals developing and presenting the course will be documented and retained for a minimum of seven years by KuzminSLP.
Unresolved Conflicts of Interest
If a COI is identified and cannot be resolved:
- The speaker or individual involved in the course content will be removed.
- The course may be offered but will not be eligible for ASHA CEUs.
Instructional Personnel Disclosure to Potential Registrants and Course Attendees
KuzminSLP must disclose relevant financial and nonfinancial relationships of all instructional personnel to course participants.