Time for a change? Cardiology groups announce plan to develop a new medical board independent of the ABIM
Four of the largest cardiovascular health organizations in the United States have joined forces to pursue the creation of a brand new medical board that would be completely independent of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
The American College of Cardiology (ACC), Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) announced the news on Thursday, Sept. 21, noting that they are currently working on submitting their application for this new entity to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
Another leading U.S. society of heart experts, the American Heart Association (AHA), helped the groups with their submission, but is still deciding how it wants to proceed.
The four groups said their proposed board would work together to replace the current maintenance of certification (MOC) system with a new “competency-based approach” to physician certification. It is no secret that cardiologists and other cardiology professionals have been growing increasingly frustrated with the ABIM’s MOC policies. In August, for instance, SCAI issued a statement advocating for change and saying its members have seen their privileges “threatened and even removed” with no cause.
The groups also wrote want their new board to put certification policies in place that focus less on “timed, high-stakes performance exams” and more on “learning assessments to identify gaps in current knowledge or skills.”
“It’s time to have a dedicated cardiovascular medicine board of our own. Cardiology is a distinct medical specialty and physicians want—and deserve—a clinical competency and continuous certification program that is meaningful to their practice and patients,” ACC President B. Hadley Wilson, MD, said in a prepared statement. “We know that the cardiovascular community is ready for an independent, self-governed entity, and we are proud to develop this new board with cardiologists and cardiology organizations at the helm.”
“SCAI is excited to collaborate with the other cardiovascular societies to bring forth the appropriate standards and transparency necessary for cardiovascular medicine certification requirements,” added SCAI President George Dangas, MD, PhD. “As the premier society representing interventional cardiology, we are committed to ensuring that we create a simplified process that speaks to the evolving trends in continuing education and other rising demands of physicians in our current healthcare landscape.”
This is not expected to be a quick process. Applying for a new board may take several months, the groups explained, and if ABMS approves their request, it would likely take several more months to finalize the development of new certification policies and iron out other key details.
Additional information is available here. A webinar dedicated to the efforts of these organizations has been scheduled for Nov. 14.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.