slideshow image

NBPAS Update May 3, 2016

Dear Colleagues,
 
Below is a brief update on the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS.org) progress. We have had nearly 4000 applicants for NBPAS certification. We are aware of 30 hospitals that have changed their bylaws to accept NBPAS certification or other alternatives for hospital privileges. Go to NBPAS.org for specific hospital names. If you are aware of others, please let us know.
 
After many physician requests, we are pleased to report the creation of an alternative certification pathway for osteopathic physicians who have been initially certified by an AOA member board. The National Board of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NBOPAS) arm of the NBPAS can be found either at NBPAS.org or the NBOPAS tab of the NBPAS website.
 
We are excited to report on April 12, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed SB 1148 into law removing MOC as a requirement for licensure, employment, reimbursement or hospital admitting privileges in Oklahoma. The law specifically states “Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall be construed as to require a physician to secure a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) as a condition of licensure, reimbursement, employment or admitting privileges at a hospital in this state. For the purposes of this subsection, “Maintenance of Certification (MOC)” shall mean a continuing education program measuring core competencies in the practice of medicine and surgery and approved by a nationally recognized accrediting organization.”
 
For more information on this law, follow this link
 
This new law was the result of a lot of hard work performed by others working through their state medical association. This emphasizes the grass-roots nature of this project. We hope this major success will inspire you and others to work to get your state medical associations to pursue legislation to eliminate MOC and recertification as a requirement for licensure, employment, reimbursement and staff privileges.
 
The NBPAS board has taken note of the many changes in MOC being discussed by the American Board of internal medicine (ABIM) including the possibility of ABIM moving to an open book 10 year recertification exam. NBPAS supports changes to and preferably elimination of MOC and re-certification. Since the ABIM leadership now agrees significant change in MOC is needed; NBPAS believes the current ABIM MOC requirements should, at a minimum, be suspended while changes are considered. If there is general agreement that the current requirements are flawed, it is logical to suspend MOC and recertification until changes are finalized.
 
We also note that based on the latest available ABIM tax form 990, in 2013 MOC was responsible for nearly $25M of ABIM’s annual revenue. Many areas in medicine are now focusing on “value.” As ABIM restructures its programs we believe it should also emphasize value and work towards reducing the costs of its programs.
 
Thank you for your support.
Paul Teirstein, M.D.
Scripps Clinic
10666 North Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92037