Maintenance of Certification
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and its gastroenterology board have introduced a series of changes to the process for maintaining board certification. The AGA Institute is working with the ABIM to help gastroenterologists prepare for the maintenance of certification (MOC) process.
The basic structure of the MOC program remains unchanged. To maintain a certificate, a diplomate will need to possess an unrestricted license in the jurisdiction where he or she practices, will need to demonstrate commitment to life-long learning through self-assessment; and will need to pass a secure examination in the discipline(s) in which they choose to recertify.
Under the new point system, diplomates need to earn 100 points to recertify in one or more discipline(s):
- 20 points from self-assessment of medical knowledge.
- 20 points from evaluation of practice performance.
- 60 points from electives.
The Importance of Maintenance of Certification: A Six-Part Series
GI SAM - Online Self-Assessment Modules
Complimentary access for trainee members and eligible physician members.
The GI SAM series of Online Self-Assessments Modules is an interactive, intuitive product that will assess your current knowledge of specific gastroenterology and hepatology-related topics. All modules will include 25 questions with instant feedback on your answer choice as well as additional references for further study.
- Earn 10 points towards ABIM MOC
- Claim up to 10 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM
- ABIM diplomates must be registered in MOC before completing GI SAM Modules.
Practice Improvement Modules
AGA PIMs are an integrated component of the AGA Digestive Health Recognition Program™ (DHRP). Enrolling in the DHRP offers clinicians the opportunity to demonstrate and be recognized for superior quality of care in the treatment of various digestive diseases. Enrollees are eligible for Bridges to Excellence (BTE), the CMS Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), and up to 20 points towards ABIM MOC.
The self-directed PIM component incorporates valid performance measures and gives you a means of conducting a structured, data-driven evaluation of a specific area of your practice. PIMs also assist you in developing and implementing an improvement plan to assess the impact of practice changes through chart re-measurement.
At present, DHRP (BTE, PQRS and PIM) is offered for:
- IBD (coming soon)
- Hepatitis C (coming soon)
- Additional disease states to come
For more information on the DHRP, visit www.agarecognition.org.
ABIM Guidebooks
ABIM guidebooks from the AGA Institute provide concise one- to two-page monographs linked to each of the questions in the ABIM Recertification Modules.
2012 Update: Module A4-M, Version 12-01
