Getting to 100 points of Self-Evaluation
As part of ABIM’s requirement for Maintenance of Certification, cardiologists must earn a total of 100 points of self-evaluation in two categories: medical knowledge and practice performance. At least 20 points must be in Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge and at least 20 must be in Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance.
The points you earn remain valid for 10 years and can apply to multiple certificates. If you are renewing internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, for example, you can apply the 100 points you have earned to both certificates, provided that the 100 points are still valid at the time the certificates are renewed. Your one-time Maintenance of Certification enrollment fee of $1,300 covers the cost of the ABIM self-evaluation products you order and complete, as well as one secure Maintenance of Certification examination.
Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge:
Annual Update medical knowledge modules, worth 10 points, will be introduced each year in all areas of cardiology and will be available for a period of three years. You can order and complete Annual Updates as soon as you enroll in Maintenance of Certification, enabling you to earn points over the duration of your ten-year certificate. Presented in a concise 25-question format, the Web- and CD-based Annual Updates highlight new developments in medical knowledge and areas vital to clinical competency. The 2007 Annual Updates for cardiovascular disease, clinical cardiac electrophysiology and interventional cardiology are available now through 2009. The 2008 Annual Update for cardiovascular disease will be available in April, while the 2008 Annual Updates for clinical cardiac electrophysiology and interventional cardiology will be available in May. The 2008 Annual Updates will be available until 2010.
ABIM’s Recent Advances modules in cardiovascular disease and clinical cardiac electrophysiology are worth 20 points and can be ordered through 2008. You also can order and complete ABIM’s medical knowledge modules in internal medicine to help fulfill your self-evaluation requirement.
Interventional Cardiology Simulations, a new option worth 20 points toward the Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge requirement, is now available. While targeted to interventional cardiologists, the option is available to all diplomates. See the Medical Simulation article for additional information.
Get details for Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge or order the ABIM medical knowledge modules now.
Additionally, ABIM has designated an educational self-assessment product developed by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) that can be used to earn points toward the Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge requirement. The ACCSAP-6 Practice Exam is worth 100 points towards Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge and can be ordered directly from ACC at www.acc.org. You still need to earn at least 20 Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance points. Note that there is an additional charge from ACC to purchase this product and it must be completed in electronic format for credit to apply. (You can submit directly to ABIM from the ACC website).
Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance:
You can earn points toward the Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance requirement by completing an ABIM PIMsm Practice Improvement Module. A PIM is a web-based tool that enables you to conduct a confidential self-evaluation of the medical care that you provide. PIMs help you gain knowledge about your practice through analysis of data from the practice, and the development and implementation of a plan to target areas for improvement.
| PIM Option | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Communication – Subspecialists | 20 points |
| Communication with Referring Physicians | 20 points |
| Hospital-based Patient Care (Heart Failure, Myocardial Infarction) | 20 points |
| Hypertension | 40 points |
| Preventive Cardiology | 40 points |
| Self-Directed (using data from approved sources including the ACC’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry, or to report on group practice QI projects) | 20 points |
Get more details about PIMs or order a PIM now.
If you do not have any direct or indirect (administrative) patient contact or patient responsibility, you can order the “Essentials of Quality Improvement” module from ABIM to fulfill the Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance requirement. Log in to your home page at www.abim.org and select “Update Practice Characteristics Profile”:
- Update the profile to indicate that you do not see or have any responsibility for patients.
- The option to order the “Essentials of Quality Improvement” knowledge module will be placed on your home page under “My Maintenance of Certification Program.”
For more information about self-evaluation requirements, call ABIM’s Contact Center, 1-800-441-ABIM, ext. 4126.
