New directions for allied health education accreditation.

The American Medical Association's (AMA's) proposal in October 1992 for a new freestanding agency to replace the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) energized review committees and their sponsoring organizations, educational institutions, and communities of interest to examine the current accreditation system. It also prompted the design of an independent allied health education accrediting body responsive to the needs of allied health professions, educational institutions, students enrolled in allied health educational programs, and the public. The result of a task force and input by many communities of interest, CAHEA's proposed successor agency, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), will be operational in mid-1994 to provide accreditation and related coordination services. It is committed to simplify the existing accrediting process, be more inclusive of allied health professions that provide entry-level education, and serve as a steppingstone for future more far-reaching developments.