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ABIM Introduces Tool for Internists to Review Asthma Care

Philadelphia, PA January 30, 2004 – The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) introduced today an innovative self-evaluation tool that certified internists and subspecialists may select toward credit for maintenance of certification. The new tool will guide a physician through a review of the care provided to patients with asthma. Asthma is the third in a series of these new tools, known as a Practice Improvement Module (PIM).

Practice Improvement Modules are computer-based tools for ABIM-certified physicians to conduct a confidential, self-evaluation of the medical care they provide. Each module offers an opportunity for physicians to review current clinical practice guidelines and their own practice. Physicians who select the asthma module will review thoroughly how they help their patients prevent and manage asthma. The module will guide physicians in selecting and implementing a specific plan to improve their practice performance.

The asthma module includes a new feature - educational support. The American College of Chest Physicians created links from the module to resources that will aid physicians. With the click of a mouse, the physician can move from the evaluation tool to material developed by the largest professional membership organization in the U.S. that serves the needs of physicians who treat asthma and other pulmonary diseases.

"The partnership between the ACCP and the ABIM reinforces our commitment To patient focused care, where lifelong learning and continuous quality improvement are priorities for physicians and other medical professionals," said Richard S. Irwin, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "As the largest pulmonary and critical care medical society, the ACCP will act as an educational arm for the ABIM, providing supplemental asthma educational resources for physicians who wish to gain a better understanding of asthma management."

Internists who complete this module will receive credit from the ABIM toward maintenance of certification as well as 20 Category One Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits from the American Medical Association.

Data collected and analyzed as part of these quality improvement projects will contain no personal identifiers. All data will be treated as completely confidential and are HIPAA compliant.

The first Practice Improvement Module, focused on preventive cardiology, was released in March 2003; a second, module, focused on diabetes care, was released in November 2003. Development is underway for modules focused on several other clinical conditions, including heart failure, hypertension, general prevention, care of the elderly, and care of patients with acute myocardial infarction (in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology).

For additional information regarding ABIM’s Practice Improvement Modules, see Improve your Practice With PIMS.

About ABIM
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that grants board certification—a well accepted marker of physician quality—to internists and subspecialists. Certification is a rigorous, comprehensive program for evaluating physician knowledge, skills and attitudes to assure both patients and payers that a physician has achieved competence for practice in a given field. Individual physician certification results may be found at www.abim.org.