Policies and Procedures

Our Conflict of Interest Policy and Procedures for Conducting the Content Validation Review are outlined below.  intellyst®'s full Policies and Procedures may be viewed by clicking here

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

intellyst® takes conflicts of interest seriously and we work with faculty members and providers to resolve potential conflicts when they arise.  A potential conflict of interest arises when the professional obligations of a faculty member or educational partner may be compromised by private interests such as significant personal gain or financial gain.  These circumstances can call into question the professional objectivity, ethics and integrity of the individual or provider.

Everyone who is in a position to control the content of a certified activity is required to disclose all pertinent financial relationships within the last 12 months, such as stock ownership, research grants made payable directly to the faculty member instead of the faculty member's place of employment, speaker's bureau, consultant roles, and advisory board memberships.  All potential conflicts of interest must be resolved in order to be included as an activity member in a certified educational activity.

In circumstances when intellyst® enters into a joint sponsorship relationship for a certified activity (e.g., multiple certifications that include pharmacists, nurses, etc.) the associated provider must also disclose any relevant conflicts of interest to intellyst® and the activity's participants.  Any conflicts of interest that arise must be resolved.

To date, intellyst® has successfully resolved potential conflicts that have arisen.  The primary mechanism for resolving potential conflicts of interest associated with certified activities is through intellyst®'s three-step Content Validation Review process.

PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING THE CONTENT VALIDATION REVIEW

CONTENT REVIEW STAFF
Content for certified activities will adhere to guidelines set forth by the Regulatory Advisory Committee and will undergo a Content Validation Review by an independent reviewer.  This Content Validation Review and the incorporation of the subsequent changes identified by the reviewer is the primary mechanism for resolving any potential conflicts of interest.  When no changes are required or recommended, the content is considered approved.  Content is reviewed by the intellyst® Clinical Department and one or more external physician reviewers.

CONTENT REVIEW TEMPLATE
The Content Validation Review Template is used by the reviewers verifying:

  • The activity complies with regulatory guidelines, ACCME Essential Areas and Policies, the AMA Physician's Recognition Award Criteria for Ethical Issues in Continuing Medical Education, and the FDA Final Guidance on Industry-Supported Scientific and Educational Activities
  • The learning needs and established learning objectives are fulfilled
  • The title of the activity is indicative of the subject matter
  • The activity is commercially unbiased
  • Information is scientifically accurate
    • The NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) guidelines and/or the American Family Physician's ABC rating scale are incorporated as part of the review process for identifying the strength of evidence for practice recommendations
  • Information is presented in a fair and balanced manner
  • Content must be deemed to contain information about providing relevant and appropriate information that is of high quality in healthcare for the disease topic.  No logos or product specific advertising may appear in the activity's materials
    • Approved content may include:
      • Appropriate treatments and/or therapeutic agents
      • Consistent use of generic names; if brand names are used, several must be mentioned
      • Appropriate scientific data and studies are referenced
      • Content representative of the best available evidence in the current body of medical literature
      • Safety, efficacy and adverse effects of presented treatments are included
Activities not meeting these criteria will be revised to comply with the indicated changes specified through the review process.