From certification to reporting to the EIV – including hybrid, Switzerland, and Austria
In recent years, there has been more movement in the field of CME than in the entire decade prior. In 2024, the 128th German Medical Assembly passed a new (model) continuing education regulation that is significantly stricter, particularly regarding sponsorship. Virtual and hybrid formats are now officially recognized – with their own requirements for proof of attendance. And in Switzerland, the SIWF is restructuring its continuing education platform so that organizers can upload attendance records themselves.
This article summarizes the current status: what you need to apply for, how to record attendance in a legally compliant manner – both on-site and via stream – and where the typical pitfalls lie.
1. The framework: Why your attendees need credits
Doctors must provide proof of at least 250 continuing education credits within a five-year period. For specialists, an additional requirement applies: a significant portion – usually 150 credits – must be earned in their specific field.
Not all 250 credits have to come from events: a portion is automatically credited for independent study of professional literature without the need for separate documentation. The rest must be verified – and this is exactly where you as an organizer come into play.
The consequences of non-compliance are tangible for contract doctors: under Section 95d of the German Social Code (SGB V), they face tiered fee reductions starting at 10 percent, then 25 percent, and in cases of persistent non-compliance, even the revocation of their license. Credits exceeding the 250-point requirement expire and cannot be carried over into the next cycle.
What this means for you: Your attendees are keeping track. A conference where the credits still haven't appeared in their accounts three months later creates support work for you and frustration for those affected.
2. Step 1: Certification by the State Medical Association
Without recognition from the responsible State Medical Association, there are no credits. The application should be at the beginning of your planning, not in the final weeks before the event – the associations set minimum deadlines, and a late application cannot be rectified retroactively.
The category into which your event is classified determines how many credits are awarded per training unit. The available categories and applicable deadlines can be found in your association's continuing education regulations. These versions vary from state to state.
New: the 2024 (Model) Continuing Education Regulation
The amendment was a response to court rulings that had made it difficult for medical associations to reject industry-sponsored training. Three points are particularly relevant for you:
- Sponsorship agreements must be submitted upon request by the association.
- The execution of the training measure by the sponsor itself is prohibited. Funding is allowed, but program control is not.
- For hybrid events, the association in whose jurisdiction the on-site portion takes place is responsible.
Important: The version of the continuing education regulations of your State Medical Association currently in force is always binding. The associations have been gradually adopting the model regulation since 2024. Therefore, check the status for your event location before finalizing your sponsorship concept.
3. Step 2: Collecting the EFN during registration
The Uniform Continuing Education Number (EFN) is the key to the credit account. It is 15 digits long, tied to the individual, and valid for life; the first digits encode the country according to ISO 3166 – 276 stands for Germany – as well as the issuing association. In practical terms, this means your registration form needs an EFN field.
Best practices:
- EFN as an optional but prominently placed field with a brief explanation of where doctors can find their number
- Option to add the EFN to the participant account until shortly before the event begins
- For recurring conferences: carry over from the previous year's profile
4. Step 3: Recording on-site attendance
The number of credits is based on the actual duration of attendance. Therefore, at least two timestamps per day are required: one upon entry and one upon exit. For multi-day congresses, this is repeated daily; for separately certified sub-events such as hands-on courses or workshops, additional scans are required at the respective room.
There are two ways to handle the scanning process:
Badge with barcode. The participant badge you print anyway carries a code that is internally linked to the stored EFN. Advantage: one medium for admission, catering, workshop access, and CME.
Medical association ID card. Several medical associations now issue ID cards in credit card format with the EFN as a barcode on the back. If you maintain an electronic attendance list, you can use this for direct registration – eliminating the need to stick on barcode labels. Traditional labels are still available and are still used in many institutions.
Two practical tips:
- No recording, no credits. This is not a matter of goodwill. Point this out in advance via email, in the program booklet, and with signage at the exit – a forgotten exit scan is by far the most common reason for follow-up inquiries.
- Plan for throughput. If 800 people need to pass through three scan points within 20 minutes, the hardware setup will determine whether the first lecture starts on time.
If gaps do occur: Physicians can generally add attended events to their continuing education account themselves via their medical association. This is the fallback option, not Plan A – but it is helpful to mention this in your follow-up communication.
5. Step 4: Hybrid and livestream – proof without a door
This is the question that is least often answered clearly: How do you verify attendance when no one physically walks through an entrance?
According to current legal requirements, mandatory continuing education can also be conducted in a virtual setting – as a live webinar – or in a hybrid format consisting of physical and virtual participation. However, accreditation requires that you document participation just as reliably as you would in the lecture hall.
Proven components:
- Personalized access. One login per person, no shared links. This is the only way to ensure the link to the EFN is possible.
- Duration log. Your streaming or conference system should be able to log and export entry and exit times for each session – not just "was logged in."
- Proof of activity. Many medical associations require additional proof for virtual participation to show that someone was actually watching: interspersed check questions, polls, or a short learning assessment at the end.
- Separate evaluation. In-person and online participants generate different data sources. Merge both into a single participant list early on, rather than manually reconciling two exports at the end.
- Clarify jurisdiction. For hybrid formats, the physical location determines the responsible medical association – even if 80 percent of participants are joining online.
Be sure to clarify point 3 with your medical association in advance. The requirements for proof of activity are the area where interpretations differ most significantly between regions. In Converias virtual platform Virtual Venue, attendance is recorded, for example, via a special background activity tracker, which allows attendance to be captured very realistically.
6. Step 5: Reporting to the EIV
The Electronic Information Distributor (EIV) of the German Medical Association is the central hub. As the organizer, you report to them; the EIV then distributes the data to the responsible state medical associations, which then post the event data and credits to the personal accounts.
The file essentially contains the event ID, title, date, location, the credits awarded, and the list of EFNs. Common errors include:
- EFNs with spaces, hyphens, or truncated lengths
- Participants without an EFN appearing as empty data records in the list
- Duplicate reports for multi-day congresses with daily recording
- Delays: The longer you wait, the more inquiries you will have to handle instead of the medical association
Set an internal deadline – ideally within two weeks after the event ends – and communicate this deadline externally as well. This significantly reduces the follow-up workload.
7. Step 6: Providing certificates
Die Teilnahmebescheinigung ist für viele Teilnehmende zugleich Steuerbeleg. Papier ist dafür längst nicht mehr nötig und auch nicht mehr zeitgemäß. Zwei Wege haben sich durchgesetzt:
- Download im persönlichen Teilnehmerbereich, freigeschaltet unmittelbar nach Veranstaltungsende, dauerhaft abrufbar
- Counter vor Ort am letzten Kongresstag, an denen sich Teilnehmende die Bescheinigung ausdrucken und ihren Punktestand prüfen können
Der zweite Weg ist aufwendiger, hat aber einen unterschätzten Nebeneffekt: Wer am letzten Tag sieht, dass ein Scan fehlt, kann das noch vor Ort klären.
8. Datenschutz: Die EFN ist kein gewöhnliches Formularfeld
Die EFN ist ein personengebundenes, lebenslang gültiges Identifikationsmerkmal. Das macht ihre Verarbeitung zu einem Thema, das spätestens die Rechtsabteilung einer Universität ansprechen wird. Klären Sie vorab:
- Rechtsgrundlage der Erhebung und Zweckbindung – die EFN dient der Punktemeldung, nicht dem Marketing
- Löschfristen nach erfolgter Meldung an den EIV
- Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag mit Ihrem Softwareanbieter, inklusive Serverstandort (Converia hat hierfür bereits praxistaugliche Vorlagen)
- Transparente Information im Anmeldeprozess, warum die Nummer erhoben wird und wohin sie geht
9. Schweiz: andere Logik, andere Zahlen
In der Schweiz regelt die Fortbildungsordnung des SIWF gemeinsam mit den Fachgesellschaften den Rahmen. Vorgeschrieben sind jährlich 50 Credits nachweisbarer und strukturierter Fortbildung sowie 30 Stunden Selbststudium, das nicht kontrolliert wird. Für das Fortbildungsdiplom sind über eine dreijährige Periode 150 Credits nachzuweisen, davon mindestens 75 aus fachspezifischer Kernfortbildung. Das Diplom ist drei Jahre gültig.
Achtung bei der oft zitierten Zahl 80: Das ist das Richtmaß inklusive Selbststudium. Nachweispflichtig sind 50 Credits pro Jahr.
Anders als in Deutschland liegt die Protokollierung grundsätzlich bei den Ärztinnen und Ärzten selbst: Sie erfassen ihre Aktivitäten auf der SIWF-Fortbildungsplattform und beantragen dort das Diplom. Belege sind zehn Jahre aufzubewahren, da die Fachgesellschaften stichprobenartig kontrollieren.
Das ändert sich allerdings: Das SIWF hat die Plattform um ein zentrales Fortbildungsregister erweitert, bei dem der Eintrag ins persönliche Protokoll per QR-Code an der Veranstaltung oder durch den Veranstalter selbst erfolgen kann, der die Teilnahmebestätigung automatisch hochlädt. Für Sie ist das ein Service-Argument – und ein Grund, die Anerkennung Ihrer Veranstaltung frühzeitig bei der zuständigen Fachgesellschaft zu beantragen.
10. Österreich: DFP und die Hybrid-Falle
In Österreich läuft die Anerkennung über das Diplom-Fortbildungs-Programm (DFP) der Österreichischen Ärztekammer, administriert von der Österreichischen Akademie der Ärzte.
Eine Besonderheit sollten Sie kennen: Hybride Veranstaltungen gelten dort als Kombination zweier getrennter Fortbildungen. Für den Präsenz- und den Online-Teil ist deshalb jeweils ein eigener Approbationsantrag einzureichen. Wer das übersieht, steht mit einem halb approbierten Kongress da.
11. International: EACCME und ECMECs
Erwarten Sie viele Teilnehmende aus dem europäischen Ausland, lohnt sich die Akkreditierung über den European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) der UEMS. Der Antrag wird online über die EACCME-Plattform gestellt.
Die vergebenen European CME Credits (ECMECs) werden in nahezu allen europäischen Fortbildungssystemen anerkannt und beim jeweiligen nationalen System in Landeswährung umgerechnet. Zusätzlich bestehen Abkommen mit der American Medical Association und dem kanadischen Royal College, sodass sich ECMECs in AMA PRA Category 1 Credits überführen lassen.
Umgekehrt gilt: Ist eine ausländische Veranstaltung national oder über EACCME akkreditiert, erkennen die deutschen Kammern die dort erworbenen Punkte an.
Checkliste: CME-Erfassung in zehn Punkten
- Zertifizierungsantrag bei der zuständigen Landesärztekammer gestellt – fristgerecht
- Fortbildungsordnung der Kammer in der aktuellen Fassung geprüft
- Sponsoring-Konzept gegen die Vorgaben der MFBO 2024 abgeglichen
- EFN-Feld mit Formatvalidierung im Anmeldeformular integriert
- Badge-Layout mit Barcode geklärt
- Scanpunkte, Hardware und Personalbedarf für Ein- und Ausgang geplant
- Bei Hybrid: personalisierte Zugänge, Verweildauer-Protokoll und Aktivitätsnachweis mit der Kammer abgestimmt
- Kommunikationsplan „Scan nicht vergessen" für Vorfeld, Vor Ort und Nachgang
- EIV-Meldung terminiert, Verantwortlichkeit benannt
- Datenschutz: Zweckbindung, Löschfristen und AV-Vertrag geklärt
Frequently Asked Questions
Can participants receive points if they only attended for half a day? Yes, on a pro-rata basis—provided that both check-in and check-out times were recorded. That is exactly why the two timestamps are required.
What if someone doesn't know their EFN? The number is printed on their CME card or the barcode labels provided by the medical association and can be viewed in their respective member portal. It is recommended to include a note about this in your registration form.
Do we have to calculate the points ourselves? No. The number of points is determined by the medical association's categorization. Your responsibility is to provide reliable proof of who attended and for how long.
Does online participation count the same as in-person attendance? Virtual attendance is generally eligible for accreditation. Your medical association determines the specific evaluation and documentation requirements—be sure to ask about this during the certification process.
How quickly are the points credited to the account? That depends on your reporting. If data is transmitted to the EIV promptly, points are usually posted within a few weeks.
Conclusion
CME tracking is not just a technical side issue; it is a hallmark of your conference's quality. Requirements have not become simpler over the past two years—they have become more nuanced: more formats, stricter sponsorship rules, and higher expectations for documentation.
The good news: the operational side can be largely automated. When EFN collection, badge printing, scanning logic, streaming logs, and certificate distribution are integrated into a single system, your workload is reduced to the tasks that truly require human decision-making.
For many years, we have been supporting professional societies and university hospitals that need to manage these exact processes. If you would like to discuss how to set this up for your next conference—whether in-person, hybrid, or across multiple countries simultaneously—please feel free to contact us.
Sources and further links
- German Medical Association: (Model) Continuing Education Regulations 2024, adopted by the 128th German Medical Assembly – bundesaerztekammer.de
- German Medical Association: Legal and professional regulations for medical continuing education
- EIV – Electronic Information Distributor: eiv-fobi.de
- SIWF: Continuing education regulations and platform – siwf.ch
- Austrian Academy of Physicians: DFP and EACCME – arztakademie.at
- UEMS-EACCME: eaccme.uems.eu
- § 95d SGB V
