New XtraCredit application provides physicians with CME credit for online clinical research

Jan 29 2010

Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of medical information, has launched XtraCredit®, an iPhone® and iPod Touch® application that provides physicians with continuing medical education (CME) credit for clinical research done online. XtraCredit was developed by the Lippincott Continuing Medical Education Institute, a Wolters Kluwer Health subsidiary, in partnership with software developer RSi/Focal Search.

Using XtraCredit, physicians can receive CME credit for online searches of a range of professional sources, including medical books and journals published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a leading medical and health publisher. Users can download the application at no charge from http://xtracredit.com/iphone or directly from the iTunes AppStore. Following a search, users document their search experience, noting the approved resource and the impact of the search on their work, and pay a small fee to receive CME credit.

"More than 50% of physicians are now using smartphones to support their clinical practice and as first-line reference resources," said Karen Overstreet, Executive Director of Lippincott CME Institute. "We are pleased to offer our readers and customers a simple way to gain the CME credit they need for answering clinical questions to enhance patient care. XtraCredit is a seamless integration of a physician's needs for both credit and clinical information."

Many U.S. states require medical professionals to complete an established number of continuing medical education credits to remain certified and licensed. Many specialty societies and hospitals also require physicians to complete CME activities to maintain their Board certification and admitting privileges. CME credits are awarded for classes, presentations and other live events, written publications, online programs, audio, video, or other electronic media. The internet point of care learning format used by XtraCredit was approved by the AMA in 2006. XtraCredit allows physicians to use text or dictation to earn credit for their online searching, regardless of whether the research is completed on the phone, on a computer, or via an approved evidenced-based clinical decision support system.

RSi FocalSearch