MOC Reform
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) considers the current Program for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) to be an unnecessary burden for physicians. However, the AASM recognizes that ongoing professional development is important to ensure that physicians maintain the highest standards of patient care.
The AASM advocates for the reinforcement of lifelong learning and the elimination of ongoing examinations, which will reduce the burden of MOC requirements. The AASM’s goal is aligned with recent resolutions adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates.
Background
The Program for MOC standards are established by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The MOC program was adopted by the ABMS member boards in 2000, and the first MOC standards were approved in 2009. In 2012 and 2013, the ABMS and its member boards reviewed the Program for MOC and developed the current standards.
Each ABMS member board, including the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), develops and maintains an MOC program that meets ABMS requirements. The MOC exam in sleep medicine is created by a committee of the ABIM. As a participant on the ABIM’s Liaison Committee on Certification and Recertification (LCCR), the AASM provides regular feedback to the ABIM about its MOC program.
Letters from the AASM to the ABMS and its member boards have expressed the frustrations of many AASM leaders and members, who consider the current MOC program to be overly burdensome.
- Letter in response to draft report of the Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission – Jan. 15, 2019
- Letter to ABMS requesting the elimination of continuous examination – Oct. 31, 2017
- Letter to ABPN urging elimination of underlying certification – July 13, 2015
- Letter to ABFM urging elimination of underlying certification – July 13, 2015
- Letter to ABIM after it discontinued underlying certification – July 10, 2015
- Letter to ABIM supporting elimination of underlying certification – May 26, 2015
- Letter to ABIM expressing frustration with its MOC program – Aug. 7, 2014
At least seven states have passed laws that prevent MOC from being required for licensure to practice medicine, and similar bills have been introduced in several other states.
- Georgia: House Bill 165
- Maryland: House Bill 1054
- Missouri: House Bill 1816
- North Carolina: House Bill 728
- Oklahoma: Senate Bill 1148
- Tennessee: Senate Bill 298
- Texas: Senate Bill 1148
- ABIM, ABPN extend maintenance of certification requirement deadlines through 2022 – March 19, 2021
- ABIM longitudinal assessment for sleep medicine MOC to launch in 2022 – Sept. 24, 2020
- ABIM announces timeline for longitudinal MOC assessment option – Nov. 15, 2019
- ABIM to offer two-year sleep medicine MOC option starting in 2020 – Sept. 20, 2019
- ABIM to develop self-paced maintenance of certification option – Aug. 22, 2019
- ABPN announces change to primary certification policy for sleep physicians – Aug. 22, 2019
- MOC recap: important updates from 2017 (ABIM) – Dec. 15, 2017
- ABPN MOC Part III pilot project to begin in 2019 – Dec. 6, 2017
- ABIM announces changes to 2018 MOC fee schedule – Oct. 20, 2017
- ABPN announces plans to make changes to MOC program – Sept. 8, 2017
- Delegates seek more alignment of MOC, quality improvement work – (AMA) – June 16, 2017
- Summary of the ‘Vision for the Future’ of MOC report – Jan. 25, 2019
Please contact the AASM at policy@aasm.org or (630) 737-9700 to discuss MOC advocacy.