By: Judy M. Sweetnam, M.Ed., CHCP

The ACCME and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) have announced a new collaboration that will both streamline a documentation process and, more importantly, further contribute to high-value CME. The collaboration will recognize CME providers as a one-stop shop for physicians who will be able to receive ABIM MOC credits at the same time that they also achieve CME credit. Currently, ABIM is the only entity currently collaborating with the ACCME, but the latter is actively negotiating with other boards to establish similar relationships for the future.

The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the requirements for those CME providers who wish to offer CME credits that also conform to the ABIM MOC credits.

Currently, if a CME provider wishes to create an activity for which there is MOC credit, the provider must submit an application to the ABIM for approval and peer review. This process is time consuming and labor intensive. The new collaboration suggests that CME providers will no longer be required to submit an application for MOC credit. Instead CME providers will use the Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS) as the gateway to ABIM MOC. Beta testing of the new system with PARS is underway, with a view to full functionality by the end of 2015.

The ACCME will maintain a list of activities that have met ABIM requirements and that are registered for MOC credit. Physicians will be able to go to the ACCME website where all courses currently approved for MOC will reside. The PARS technology, accessible through the ACCME site, will also communicate credits to the ABIM. As it stands now, nearly all formats are eligible except Point of Care (PoC) and manuscript CME.

A physician can access the ACCME site and make a choice to take MOC activities that are also registered for CME credit. It is up to the provider whether or not they will choose to make a CME activity eligible for MOC. In order to qualify, there are a few requirements for the CME provider that need to be met:

• Assess an outcome or conduct a posttest.
• Inform the learner of the result of each question of the posttest or outcomes response. The correct answer must be provided if answered incorrectly, as well as where to go to learn more about the content.
• Completion of new fields within PARS that include learner ABIM number and date of birth.
• Inherent in the above, is the amendment of the claim for credit form and/or the evaluation-outcomes method of submission.

In summary, the synergies of this collaboration are hard to ignore. It offers the opportunity to meet not only lifelong learners’ needs for CME, but also to offer MOC credits that are fundamentally tied to certification/recertification. This is collaboration is clearly a boon to any CME provider.

References:
1. ACCME: ABIM and ACCME Announce Collaboration in Support of Physician Life-Long Learning
2. Policy and Medicine: ABIM and ACCME Announce Collaboration in Support of Physician Lifelong Learning
3. ABIM: Maintenance of Certification Guide
4. Interview with ABIM staff

Additionally, you may access references by clicking on the below QR codes:

QR #1: ACCME: ABIM and ACCME Announce Collaboration in Support of Physician Life-Long Learning

QR#3: ABIM: Maintenance of Certification Guide

QR#2: Policy and Medicine: ABIM and ACCME Announce Collaboration in Support of Physician Lifelong Learning