PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION and COMPETENECY VERIFICATION – OPTIONS AND CONTROVERSIES Michael James Casey, MD

History and overview of board certifications PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – OVERVIEW History and overview of board certifications Definition of Board Certification Evolution of board certifications Value of certification : Initial and continuous. Benefits and Pitfalls of having competing Boards. Trends of where certification is going: changes in the industry.

American Board of Ophthalmology first specialty board in 1917 PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – HISTORY American Board of Ophthalmology first specialty board in 1917 ABMS: Founded 1933 AOA: Founded 1939 ABPS: Founded 1950 NBPAS: Founded 2014

PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – DEFINED Board certification demonstrates a physician's exceptional expertise in a particular specialty and/or subspecialty of medical practice. Certification by a Member Board involves a rigorous process of testing and peer evaluation that is designed and administered by specialists in the specific area of medicine.

How Do We Define Board Certification? PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – DEFINED (CONT) Individual Boards Are Plentiful – How to differentiate between credible and non-credible boards? How Do We Define Board Certification? How are these boards held accountable?

Initially a competence and sign of academic success MDs vs. DOs PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – EVOLUTION Initially a competence and sign of academic success MDs vs. DOs Lifetime Certification & “Grandfathering” MOC Competing boards

Public assurance of competence. Marketability. PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – VALUE Public assurance of competence. Marketability. Respect and acknowledgement from colleagues.

Certainly no evidence that MOC increases quality. CHALLENGES PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – BENEFITS & CHALLENGES BENEFITS Jury is still out. Certainly no evidence that MOC increases quality. CHALLENGES Physicians deplore unnecessary burdens MOC

The battle of the boards Trustworthiness of non-profit board PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – CURRENT CONTROVERSIES? MOC The battle of the boards Trustworthiness of non-profit board Political influence of boards on government

SHOULD THERE ONLY BE ONE BOARD OF CERTIFICATION? PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – TRENDS SHOULD THERE ONLY BE ONE BOARD OF CERTIFICATION? Innovation in medicine? Anti-trust laws? Competition good?

PHYSICIAN BOARD CERTIFICATION – PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS WHAT IS A REASONABLE APPROACH TO EVALUATING AND ACCEPTING BOARD CERTIFICATION?