Maintenance of Certification: An Update

Professional standing

• All participants must have current valid ABOto certificates.
• All participants must have unrestricted medical licenses in all states in which they practice.
• All participants must have privileges at a hospital or ambulatory surgery. center. Those who do not must certify that their privileges were not lost due to an adverse action.

Continuing education/self-assessment

Previously, each participant was required to complete 100 hours of CME every two years and report the number of hours in an annual report. Sixty percent of the hours were required to be in otolaryngology. However, the ABOto has applied to the ABMS to change the CME requirement to one in which the participant must meet his or her state licensure CME requirement.

Each participant must periodically participate in Internet-based self-assessment modules. The ABOto is in the process of developing a prototype self-assessment module that should be available in 2007. More modules will be developed in a variety of areas to serve the wide diversity of practice focus in otolaryngology. There is no pass/fail on the modules; they are to be used to identify areas of weakness that can serve as a guide for a self-study program.

Cognitive examination

The participant will be required, at the end of the 10-year MOC cycle, to take and pass a computer-based exam that is clinically oriented. Because there is such a wide diversity of practice focuses in otolaryngology, the ABOto exam will consist of two modules. The first is a core module that includes material that all otolaryngologists should know-such as patient safety, antibiotics, anesthetics, and the like. The second module will be selected by the participant based on his or her practice focus. Passing the exam will renew the primary certificate and not imply special expertise in a given area of otolaryngology.

The specialty modules will include:

• General
• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Head and Neck
• Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
• Otology/Audiology
• Rhinology
• Laryngology
• Allergy

Diplomates who are subcertified in neurotology or sleep medicine will take those respective modules, which will renew their primary as well as their subspecialty certificates.

Performance in practice

This part of MOC is probably the most important because it will measure the actual practice of medicine. This is a very difficult concept, and there are no good measures available at this time. However, all ABMS boards are working on developing this part. It is likely that the Part IV measures will also be useful in measurement processes that are being demanded by insurers, Medicare/Medicaid, and state licensing boards. This part of MOC may also fulfill requirements for the developing pay-for-performance programs. The plan is to develop a process that are nonintrusive, accurate, and cost-effective.