New! MOC Credit for Pediatric Specialists Who Earn NCQA Recognition
May 24, 2016 · Leah Kaufman
Here’s some good news for pediatric specialists: If you’ve received Recognition in NCQA’s Patient-Centered Specialty Practice (PCSP) program, you are now eligible to earn credit toward medical board Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements.
MOC Credit Pediatric Specialists
As of April 2016, the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) will award Part IV Maintenance of Certification credit to physicians with NCQA PCSP Recognition. This news comes a year after the board’s 2015 decision to begin offering credit to primary care physicians recognized under NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program.
MOC Credit for Pediatric Specialists
Physicians participating in either recognition program can elect to enter their board certification information and attest to meaningful participation in quality improvement activities. This information is reported electronically to the American Board of Pediatrics, eliminating the need for physicians to record and report this MOC activity separately. Physicians receive 40 Part IV MOC points when they complete initial and renewal recognition under the PCMH or PCSP program.
The PCMH model is an approach to providing comprehensive primary care that emphasizes an ongoing relationship between patient and physician, and focuses on whole-person orientation and coordination between every medical provider seen by a patient, with the goal of improving care’s quality, effectiveness and efficiency.
Practices participating in the PCMH and PCSP programs evaluate their processes, policies and procedures, and identify areas for improvement. They perform a baseline assessment of a specific area, develop a plan for improvement and measure results. Activities address wellness care and management of chronic conditions, in addition to access to care and community resources and management of patient populations.
According to the ABP, pediatricians who participate in MOC learn how to measure quality of care and effectively fill the gaps in their own practice. In addition, pediatricians who participate in MOC demonstrate advanced knowledge and a commitment to lifelong learning.
