Steven M. Passin, FACME, CCMEP
President & CEO
passin@passinassociates.com

Mr. Passin is president & CEO of Steve Passin & Associates (SP&A) that provides consultation in the field of continuing medical education (CME). His firm is an advisor to more than 100 CME organizations nationwide including university health science centers, specialty medical societies, large private and governmental hospital systems, and private sector education organizations. Under his direction, the firm emphasizes practicality through the development of standard policies and practices allowing CME offices to comply with Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) requirements at the highest levels; provides daily interpretation of the ACCME’s Criteria for Accreditation; provides support and council for accredited nursing CE programs and those that intend to attain ANCC accreditation; and support for the accreditation and reaccreditation of continuing pharmacy education programs.

Mr. Passin’s background as a former ACCME surveyor ensures his familiarity with the thresholds set by them for compliance. He brings a policy perspective to consulting from his unique experience as the former deputy health secretary for the State of California. Mr. Passin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley and has completed his course work for a master’s degree in public policy administration from the University of Southern California. He also holds a certificate in health care marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has attained his certification as a continuing medical education professional (CCMEP), which is the quality standard in the CME industry. Steve is a Fellow of the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education, the professional association of the CME enterprise.

In addition to management oversight of the company, Steve personally specializes in the interpretation of the implications of multiple and overlapping regulations affecting the CME industry, and provides counsel not only to SP&A clients in that regard but also to major international corporations that relate to the CME industry and their legal counsel. He also advises dozens of organizations—both accredited and nonaccredited—on the separation of education from promotion and assists those firms in corporate restructuring that comply with the rules of the ACCME and the public interest in general.

Passin has been the co-author of the monthly column that appeared for four years in Medical Meetings Magazine entitled “CME Consult,” and is a frequent speaker at national forums, the Alliance for CME annual meeting, and at private policymaking meetings with the pharmaceutical industry and the CME enterprise.