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Maintenance of Certification at BCM


ABMS Portfolio Program Sponsor

Baylor College of Medicine is an approved and recognized Program Sponsor of the American Board of Medical Specialties Portfolio Program™ (ABMS Portfolio Program).

This achievement was coordinated through the Center for Collaborative and Interactive Technologies (CCIT), in partnership with the Division of Continuing Professional Development. Program Sponsor responsibilities are conducted through the BCM Maintenance of Certification Program (BCM MOC Program), which is operated under CCIT.


The BCM MOC Program

More opportunities. Less paperwork. Improved patient care.


Overview

In working directly with the ABMS Portfolio Program, the BCM MOC Program serves as an institutional resource for BCM and affiliated physicians and physician assistants (PA) to help them maintain certifications in their medical specialties.

Physicians and PAs are required to maintain their medical specialty expertise through continuing certification or maintenance of certification (MOC). The ABMS MOC process is comprised of a four-part framework (see Figure 1), with each participating ABMS Member Boards (and the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants [NCCPA], where relevant) having its own specific requirements for each part, along with options for meeting them and the timeframes within which they must be met in order for credit to be earned.

The ABMS Portfolio Program focuses on physician certification efforts for MOC Part 4 - Improvements in Medical Practice, which requires engagement in ongoing assessment and quality/process improvement activities to improve patient outcomes. Further, the ABMS Portfolio Program has an "interprofessional collaborative agreement" with the NCCPA. Under this agreement, eligible physician assistants can earn Category 1 Performance Improvement CME (PI-CME) credit from the NCCPA for their engagement in qualified QI activities through a recognized Program Sponsor organization.

With this in mind, the ABMS Portfolio Program operates through a network of recognized Program Sponsor organizations (such as BCM), and each Program Sponsor is tasked with assisting their respective physicians/PAs earn credit for their qualified QI work.

As such, the BCM MOC Program was created to:
  • manage and coordinate the responsibilities and essential tasks required of the Program Sponsor, and
  • serve as an institutional resource (as reflected by the program benefits noted below) to assist physicians/PAs with maintaining their certification requirements.

As an ABMS Portfolio Program Sponsor and with a focus on quality improvement (QI) activities/projects that promote the College's quality and safety aims, the BCM MOC Program provides a selection of pathways (referred to as QI Effort Types) for physicians/PAs to earn credit (see below) for their engagement in qualified QI Activities.


Credit for Qualified QI Work


PHYSICIANS
MOC Part 4 Credit/Points
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
Category 1 PI-CME Credit
CERTIFYING BODY:
Participating ABMS Member Boards		 CERTIFYING BODY:
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

Benefits

As an institutional resource, the BCM MOC Program assists physicians and PAs in the areas described below.

BCM MOC PROGRAM BENEFITS
  • Navigating Requirements for MOC Part 4 Credit/Points and NCCPA Category 1 PI-CME Credit:
    Structured guidance to help physicians/PAs understand and meet QI activity/project eligibility criteria, participation qualification criteria, and documentation requirements.
  • QI Project Tracking & Documentation:
    Web-based QI Project Registry* to help physicians/PAs track their QI work for required credit documentation purposes.
  • QI Coaching:
    I-QIPS QI Coaches to provide physicians/PAs with customized guidance in QI tools/methodologies and data collection strategies.
  • Streamlined Processes for Earning Credit:
    Various pathways (QI Effort Types) available for physicians/PAs to advance their QI efforts, while also earning credit for their improvement work.

*The QI Project Registry, designed and operated by the I-QIPS, is a web-based application designed for healthcare professionals across the College and its affiliated institutions to develop, manage, and publicize their improvement projects, as well as to discover and learn about other (registered) projects being conducted by their colleagues. All QI activities for MOC Part 4/NCCPA Category 1 PI-CME credit consideration must be registered and updated/maintained in the QI Project Registry. The BCM MOC Program utilizes the QI Project Registry for tracking and documenting various requirements of the credit submission process.