CMEs & Events

Strengthening our Body of Knowledge

Intellectual exchange is prioritized at Valley Preferred as an avenue for learning, networking, and comradery. Meetings, discussions, and speaker forums convey important updates and information members and participants need to know, or that they need in order to get CME credits for relicensing. According to one attendee, “If there is meaningful information that will help providers, Valley Preferred will format an educational initiative to share it, keeping it convenient, concise, and interesting.” Attendance at many events is incentivized under the Achieving Clinical Excellence® (ACE) program.

Ongoing education opportunities include:

Provider Pathways Forum (PPF)

Hosted by Executive Director Mark A. Wendling, MD, the PPF focuses on the “business side” of health care delivery. Past topics range from importance of correct coding and using the Secure Provider Portal, to getting practices up and running after COVID-19.

IM/FM Educational Sessions

Designed for the internal medicine/family medicine practitioner, these sessions are overseen by Joseph A. Candio, MD, Executive Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, LVHN. The sessions feature speakers on valuable topics such as pain management and obesity/metabolic syndrome.

GLVIPA General Membership Meetings

Since all Valley Preferred members are also part of the Greater Lehigh Valley Independent Practice Association (GLVIPA), these meetings are all-inclusive. Hosted by GLVIPA Chair James W. Manley, DO, they are an open exchange involving current initiatives, problem solving, and general education.

Clinical Integration Education Programs (CIEP)

These presentations bring specialists and primary care providers together to exchange knowledge and improve the quality of interdisciplinary coordination and patient care.

Quality Improvement Program and MOC/PI-CME

Two incentivized programs encourage clinical and process innovation as participants identify areas for improvement, conduct research, refine recommendations, and share their learnings with fellow physicians. The QI program falls under ACE, while the Maintenance of Certification (MOC/PI-CME) program for allopathically boarded physicians and PAs is part of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Portfolio Program®, of which Valley Preferred is a sponsor.

Saturday Symposiums

Valley Preferred created the opportunity for physicians and providers to earn CME credits needed for relicensing close to home, at LVHN campuses. Course topics are chosen in correlation with the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, LVHN’s Department of Education, and the needs of Valley Preferred Member Physicians.

ACO/ACA/LVPHO Educational Sessions

These sessions provide current statistics on performance in all Valley Preferred accountable care arrangements with major payers. Insights on how we are doing in closing care gaps, pre-visit planning, managing emergency department visits, and other measures impacting quality and compensation are shared.