The American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) is pleased to announce the availability of new options for earning Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part IV credit. Through continued collaboration with the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the ABO has added two AAO-sponsored online learning activities to the Improvement in Medical Practice Menu. Selecting and completing one of these activities will satisfy one ABO MOC Part IV activity requirement.
The available AAO activities are:
Awards 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
20 credits of self-assessment may be applied to MOC Part II
Satisfies 1 MOC Part IV improvement activity
This online course is designed to improve ophthalmologists’ communication and rapport with patients, as well as improve the quality of care that patients receive through the use of practical informed consent guidelines. Access to this activity is included in the cost of AAO membership.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Academy of Ophthalmology designates this enduring material for a maximum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Awards up to 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
20 credits of self-assessment may be applied to MOC Part II
Satisfies 1 MOC Part IV improvement activity
This activity aims to promote conversations between providers and patients by helping patients choose care that is supported by evidence, free from harm, and truly necessary. Learn how to communicate more effectively with patients and help them decide what is appropriate and necessary treatment. Access to this activity is included in the cost of AAO membership.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Academy of Ophthalmology designates this enduring material for a maximum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
How it Works
Visit the AAO website to register for and complete the desired activity. Please note, there are 3 sections for each Practice Improvement activity, and a 30-day lockout between sections 2 and 3. All 3 sections must be completed to meet the part IV requirement. Completion of these activities will be reported to the ABO by the AAO on a weekly basis and noted on your ABO MOC Status Page.
Other ABO MOC Part IV Options
While completing the ABO Quarterly Questions program, select 3 quality improvement-designated journal articles from the ABO's reading list and answer 2 questions about each article. Doing so will count as 1 improvement activity. (Article questions that count for improvement credit will become available on July 1, 2019.)
Improvement articles must be completed as part of standard Quarterly Questions participation (you may not skip the clinical knowledge section or other article questions in the year(s) in which you participate) unless you have already completed the DOCK Examination during your current MOC cycle. If you have already completed the DOCK, you may advance directly to the quality improvement articles.
This activity option may be used only once during each 10-year cycle. For Track 2 diplomates who need to complete 2 activities, the ABO strongly recommends choosing this activity first in order to learn about fundamentals of quality improvement prior to applying this knowledge to the completion of a second improvement activity.
You are invited to design your own improvement activity using a standard quality improvement methodology, such as the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. You will have the option to create an individual project or adopt a project developed by a group practice, a department at an academic institution, a healthcare system, or a local, regional, or national medical society or organization. Documentation involves a brief project description that must be reviewed by the ABO before commencing the activity and a summary report submitted after the activity has been completed.
Finally, if you are no longer engaged in direct patient care, you may be eligible to maintain your certification by declaring Clinically Inactive Status.