The recent debate surrounding the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program is a microcosm for a transformation in medical practice that is long overdue. The profession of medicine is going through a fundamental shift from a traditional craft-based practice to a more sophisticated, data-driven profession-based practice. The solo-based practice is dying. As the ABMS program suggests, the awareness and acceptance of this shift is already occurring at the national medical board level, but it is not happening as quickly at the individual physician level. It is time for all clinicians to consider a new, more effective and more empowering approach to clinical care.
Let’s take a look at the details. As you may know, the MOC program consists of six Core Competencies for Quality Patient Care that physicians must demonstrate to maintain certification. These competencies are over and above the traditional board certification requirements. The core competencies are professionalism, patient care, medical knowledge, practiced-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills and systems-based practice. Descriptions of each competency can be found here. In addition to being a new requirement, the program encourages a new style of practice for physicians.
The MOC program has generated considerable friction, especially among physicians, some of whom argue that the requirements place an additional burden on their increasingly burdensome work experience. Others have joined the program and are fulfilling its requirements. As of May 2014, 150,000 physicians were enrolled in the program, but tens of thousands have also signed protest petitions.
