Feeling Conflicted? New Software System Makes It Easy to Manage Your Conflicts of Interest
05/02/11 - Life at NYULMC
The Conflicts of Interest Management Unit (CIMU) recently launched a new Annual Disclosure software system to approximately 5,200 members of the Medical Center community. With your help, and the use of the new software, the CIMU aims to reach its ambitious, but attainable, goal of 100% compliance.
The Policy on Conflicts of Interest in Business Affairs requires that certain members of the NYULMC community who engage in research, teaching or business decisions on behalf of the Medical Center submit an Annual Disclosure Form to the Conflicts of Interest Management Unit (CIMU). More specifically, if your job responsibilities or job title includes any of the criteria listed in the chart below, then you must disclose any relationships you or your immediate family have with entities who:
- Provide goods and/or services to healthcare providers; or
- Do business with or seek to do business with the Medical Center; or
- Compete with the Medical Center, not including academic institutions outside of New York City, professional societies or government.
In the new online Annual Disclosure system, department and division heads now play an active role in reviewing and approving the disclosures of their staff. Another key enhancement is that the questions allow for greater transparency in identifying potential conflicts of interest by asking more detailed questions about your business relationships and interests that may pose a potential conflict of interest. The new system also has more categories for reporting financial interests.
The new Annual Disclosure system was created in anticipation of the requirements in the Physician Sunshine Payment Act and proposed NIH regulations, the finalized versions of which are expected in 2011. These regulations prompted the addition of two new categories of disclosure: “Travel, Lodging and Meal Reimbursements” and “Gifts” to capture the different kinds of payment one can receive in lieu of honoraria, such as travel reimbursement.
To prepare for this vast endeavor, the CIMU held nine focus group sessions with various faculty and staff to ensure that the content and flow of the new Annual Disclosure system was clear and user-friendly. The CIMU also launched training to familiarize disclosers and department leaders with the new system and policy. The CIMU obtained valuable feedback during the training sessions, which was incorporated into the system before the launch.
The deadline for submitting your Annual Disclosure Form was March 25. If you are required to submit and have not already done so, please go to http://cimu.med.nyu.edu/forms/annual-disclosureand follow the login instructions for accessing the system. Please e-mail mailto:cimu.disclosures@nyumc.orgif you have any questions or you can attend an instructor-led session about the process on Friday, May 6, in Farkas Auditorium from 2 to 3 p.m. Coffee, tea and cookies will be served.
