Four New AQI Pathway Options Approved by ABIM

May 09, 2013 (PRLEAP.COM) Health News
Philadelphia, PA, – The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has recently approved four diverse quality improvement (QI) projects for credit in the ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. By reducing redundancy in physician reporting, the Approved Quality Improvement (AQI) Pathway gives board certified physicians credit for quality improvement activities that they are already doing that meet ABIM standards.

The new activities approved for MOC credit include:
  • American College of Physicians: Medical Home Builder
  • Center for Disease Control: STEADI Fall Prevention Quality Improvement Program
  • CORRONA: PQRS Rheumatoid Arthritis Measures Bundle reporting
  • The Pennsylvania State University: PA Spreading Primary Care Enhanced Delivery Infrastructure (PA SPREAD)

  • "There are many exciting high-level quality improvement activities physicians are engaged in and we are pleased to recognize them for Maintenance of Certification credit," said Elizabeth Blaylock, Senior Vice President, Programs at the American Board of Internal Medicine. "Our AQI pathway links MOC to the quality improvement work physicians are already participating in, creating more relevant, quality-focused options for physicians to earn MOC credit."

    Research has shown that fewer than 30 percent of physicians examine their own performance data (1), and physicians' ability to independently and accurately self-assess and self-evaluate without guidance is limited (2).

    The components of the ABIM MOC program reflect the guidelines of the American Board of Medical Specialties and encompass the six general competencies established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. See full requirements for the MOC program.

    For more information on how an organization can submit a quality improvement activity for consideration into the AQI Pathway, please visit our website to review the requirements.

    If you are a physician or organization interested in the AQI pathway, please visit our website for a full list of AQI approved activities and programs.

    1Audet, A, -M.J., e al., Measure, learn and improve: physicains' involvement in quality improvement. Health Affairs, 2005. 24(3): p. 843-853.
    2 Davis DA, Mazimanian PE, Fordis M, Van Harrison R, Thorpe KE, Perrier L. Accuracy of physician self-assessment compared with observed measures of competence. JAMA. 2006;296(9):1094-102.


    About ABIM
    For more than 75 years, certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine has stood for the highest standard in internal medicine and its 19 subspecialties and has meant that internists have demonstrated – to their peers and to the public – that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care. ABIM is not a membership society, but a non-profit, independent evaluation organization. Our accountability is both to the profession of medicine and to the public. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. For additional updates, follow ABIM on Facebook and Twitter.