ABMS Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program Launches Pilot to Engage More CME Providers

Continuing Medical Education (CME) organizations can now explore participation in the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program™ (Portfolio Program) as part of a new, one-year pilot. The pilot allows these organizations to offer their physicians one-year access to Portfolio Program benefits without committing to becoming full participating sponsors.

“The Pre-sponsor Pilot is designed to enable CME providers that may not yet be prepared or able to become full Portfolio Program sponsors to ‘test the waters’ and experience the benefits that Portfolio Program sponsorship offers their physicians and their organization,” explained David W. Price, MD, FAAFP, FACEHP, Executive Director of the Portfolio Program, which enables physicians from sponsor hospitals, health systems, and health care organizations who are Board Certified by one of the 21 (of 24) participating ABMS Member Boards to receive Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV) credit for their engagement in quality improvement (QI) work.

Continuing Medical Education providers with Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) “Accreditation with Commendation” or ”Accreditation” status that are not current applicants or Portfolio Program sponsors are eligible to participate in the pilot. “Pre-sponsors” will be able to submit individual QI activities to the Portfolio Program for review during a 12-month period on a discounted, per-project fee basis. Up to three activities may be approved during the pre-sponsor period. Physicians in pre-sponsor organizations who submit attestations of meaningful participation in QI activities, which are approved as meeting Portfolio Program standards, can earn MOC Part IV credit.

“The Pilot Program offers CME providers a chance to have their practice improvement activities accepted for MOC Part IV credit by 21 ABMS Member Boards” added Dr. Price. “We hope that organizations participating in the pilot choose to become full Portfolio Program sponsors at the end of their pilot year.”

“The Portfolio Program enables health care organizations to support and engage physicians in system-wide practice improvement activities that are both directly related to a physician’s specialty area of practice as well as the system’s goals and objectives – all of which serve to help improve the quality of care for their patients and communities.” said Lois Margaret Nora, MD, JD, MBA, ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to learning from this pilot as ABMS increases its efforts to align MOC with the meaningful work that physicians are doing in their daily practice.”

To date, the Portfolio Program has helped engage nearly 9,000 physicians in practice improvement initiatives at hospitals and health systems across the country, many showing improvement in care outcomes, and has recognized their participation with MOC-eligible credit. Since its inception, approximately 1,700 improvement efforts have been completed by Portfolio Program participants. For more information about the pilot or the Portfolio Program, please contact Teena Nelson, Portfolio Program Manager, or visit the program website.

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