Department of Healthcare Professions

Committed to Patient Safety

​​CPD Provider FAQs



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1Who is eligible to become a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider?​
The DHP-AS has determined that the following types of organizations are eligible to apply to become a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider:
  • Governmental or non-governmental academic institutions
  • Governmental or non-governmental healthcare facilities
  • Other healthcare professional organization
Any organizations who are for-profit commercial interests are not eligible to apply to become a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider. Private centres that open only to provide CPD are not eligible for accreditation.​
2What does it mean to be a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider?​
A DHP-AS accredited CPD provider is an organization that has been reviewed and approved by the DHP-AS based on their ability to demonstrate adherence to established accreditation standards in areas of educational development, governance, organizational infrastructure and administrative operations.
All DHP-AS accredited CPD provider organizations are required to develop CPD activities that meet all established educational and ethical accreditation standards. All CPD activities developed by accredited CPD provider organizations approved by the DHP-AS are automatically approved for credit within Category 1 or Category 3 of the CPD Framework.​​
3Is there a fee associated with becoming a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider?​

Currently, there is no fee to become a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider.​​

4​My organization is interested in becoming an accredited CPD provider, how can I apply?

​Organizations interested in becoming a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider, should contact the DHP-AS​ to express their interest and begin the process to determine their eligibility to apply.​​

5​My organization is an accredited provider under the DHP-AS​ provisional standards, when do I need to reapply?
​Organizations accredited under the DHP-AS provisional standards will be asked to re-apply before their current accreditation cycle ends. DHP-AS​ will contact these organizations at
least 6 months prior to the end of their accreditation cycle to begin the re-application
process under the new Accreditation Standards for CPD Provider Organizations.
6If my organization chooses not to become an accredited CPD provider, how can myCPD activities be accredited?
Organizations that choose not to voluntarily become DHP-AS accredited CPD providers
may submit learning activities they developed for review and approval by the DHP
Accreditation Section as long as the organizations are:
  • Governmental or non-governmental health professional academic institutions (or
  • those involved in the education of health professionals).
  • Governmental or non-governmental healthcare facilities.
  • Other health professional organizations as defined by the DHP-AS​.

7​Is there a fee associated with individual CPD activity accreditation?
​Currently, there is no fee to have a CPD activity reviewed for DHP-AS​ accreditation.
8​When will the new DHP-AS​ CPD activity standards be available?
​The new CPD activity standards have gone through several iterations, taking into account
the detailed feedback of all stakeholders involved in their development. The activity
standards are currently undergoing a final review and it is anticipated that the activity
standards will be widely available in early 2016.
9My organization planned an activity that has occurred in the past. Would the DHP-AS​review the program so that those who have attended can receive credits?

​No, CPD activity accreditation cannot be granted retroactively.​

10How can individual healthcare practitioner credit hours be tracked for large activitieslike conferences that have multiple sessions, workshops etc.?
​The DHP-AS​ CPD activity accreditation standards dictate that the organization that
developed the CPD activity is responsible for determining the actual number of hours that
each learner is eligible to record for credit. Examples of how this can be achieved are:
having a sign-in/sign-out form for each session, taking attendance during each session or
using attendance tracking technology that scans the name badges of participants upon
entry and exit from session rooms.
If the CPD activity is being delivered online, an electronic sign in/sign out system can
provide a timestamp for each participant. It is the responsibility of the CPD provider to
indicate on the certificate of participation how many hours the healthcare practitioner is
eligible to claim in their CPD ePortfolio for each CPD activity. The healthcare practitioner will be required to upload the certificate of attendance as supporting documentation for each CPD activity in order to claim credit.
11​My organization is a CME provider outside of Qatar and delivers live CPD activities in countries outside of Qatar. Will healthcare practitioners in Qatar be able to record credits within the DHP-AS​ CPD Program for attending these activities?

​Any live, face-to-face activity that is delivered outside of Qatar and has been reviewed and approved as ‘accredited’ by an international CPD accreditation system will be accepted as equivalent for credits within the DHP-AS​ CPD Program.​

12​My organization is a CME provider outside of Qatar and delivers online CPD activities. Will healthcare practitioners in Qatar be able to record credits within the DHP-AS​ CPD Program for participating in these activities?

​Any online or web-based CPD activity that has been reviewed and approved as ‘accredited’ by an international CPD accreditation system will be accepted as equivalent for credits within the DHP-AS​ CPD Program. If the activity has not been approved as ‘accredited’ by an international CPD accreditation system, please contact the DHP-AS for more information on how to have this program accredited.​

13​Are CPD activities arranged by commercial interest organizations (e.g. pharmaceutical or medical device companies … etc.) eligible for accreditation? And does DHP-AS​ allow representatives of these organizations to assume an educator/speaker/facilitator role at accredited CPD activities?

Activities arranged by commercial interest organizations or their representatives are not eligible for accreditation.

However, activities planned by a CPD provider for training in the use of company products or technological devices may be approved for accreditation if they fulfilled ALL of the following criteria:

  1. The activity is not for marketing purpose and does not include promotional materials for any product of the commercial interest organization. The aim of the activity should be to provide training in the use of an already existing product e.g. device, vaccine ...etc.
  2. The activity should be organized by a DHP-AS accredited CPD provider.
  3. Representatives of commercial interest organizations should not act as educators/speakers/facilitators during educational sessions of the activity unless they are providing an essential demonstration for a specific product or device and when no healthcare practitioner is qualified to provide such demonstration.
  4. The participation of representatives of the commercial interest organization should be approved and rationalized by the Scientific Planning Committee (SPC) of the activity.
  5. The activity should follow all other DHP-AS​ administrative, educational and ethical standards for CPD activity accreditation.​