Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
May 18, 2017 · NCQA Communications
Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
We’re glad to announce that the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) is giving NCQA-Recognized physicians credit for their certification: Physicians who are certified by the ABPMR and have NCQA Patient-Centered Specialty Practice (PCSP) Recognition can also receive credit toward maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements.
“We at NCQA are excited about this announcement,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA President. “This decision demonstrates the value that the ABPMR and other medical boards place on NCQA Recognition, and recognizes the significant amount of work physicians put into completing specialty-focused quality improvement projects as part of their NCQA PCSP Recognition.”
ABPMR Executive Director Carolyn Kinney, MD, agrees: “When we reviewed the NCQA standards, it was clear that PCSP recognition meets our MOC Part IV requirements. We are pleased to bring another MOC innovation to our diplomates and, similar to other efforts across the MOC Program, to grant MOC credit for work in which our physicians are already engaged.”
Getting the “Stamp of Approval”
Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physicians work with chronic, often multiple conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, brain and spinal cord injuries). PM&R physicians often see patients (and caregivers) who are highly engaged and looking for quality indicators to find the best care possible.
“In addition to now receiving credit from the ABPMR, one of the main advantages of having NCQA’s PCSP Recognition was the ‘stamp of approval’ and demonstrating to our families that we are providing quality care,” says Reginald D. Talley, MD, Physical Medicine, Nationwide Children’s Comprehensive Cerebral Palsy Program and diplomate of the ABPMR. “With this designation, providers are sending more families to us. Our waitlist grew so long, we had to open more clinic days.”
Although this is the first single specialty to grant MOC credit for NCQA Recognition, the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics also offer credits for NCQA’s PCSP program, and the American Board of Family Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics offer MOC credits for the NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home program.
Giving Credit, Earning Credit
NCQA believes that NCQA-recognized physicians should be able to use their status to meet MOC requirements, and is working with other medical boards toward that end. Visit the ABPMR website for more information on its MOC Program.
Click HERE to learn more about NCQA’s PCSP Recognition program.
