Press Releases
BackNew Tool to Help Internists Review their Hypertension Care
Philadelphia, PA, October 4, 2004 – The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) released a Hypertension Practice Improvement Module, the fifth in a series of innovative self-evaluation tools. Certified internists who complete the module will earn credit toward renewing their certificate. This module will be particularly relevant for general internists, nephrologists, endocrinologists and others who manage patients who have hypertension.
“The module will enable physicians to evaluate their own practice in the care of patients with hypertension and relate it to well-established standards,” explained Dr. David Salant, a Professor of Medicine at Boston University who chaired the development committee. “The module focuses on routine office practice of uncomplicated hypertension and aspects of the disease associated with common conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and impaired kidney function. Upon completing the module, physicians will have a clear idea of how they can modify their office routines and delivery of care to better serve the needs of their patients.”
Practice Improvement Modules are computer-based tools that enable physicians to conduct a confidential self-evaluation of the medical care that they provide. Each module offers an opportunity for physicians to review current clinical practice guidelines and their own practice. This new module includes web links to nationally-established guidelines for hypertension and resources on ways to improve care through changes in practice routines. The module is based on the most recent guidelines for hypertension care (JNC-7), released in 2003 by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Hypertension is one of the most important chronic illnesses, affecting 50 million people in the United States . It is a major contributor to death and disability from heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. “The prevalence of hypertension is increasing as the population ages,” explained Dr. Lorna Lynn, ABIM’s Director of Recertification. “Only about 35% of patients with hypertension are treated to goal levels, a clear indication that improvements in the quality of care provided are needed. The hypertension module makes it possible for doctors, with help from their patients and the ABIM, to gain a concrete sense of how well they are doing in providing care to patients with hypertension, and then to select and implement a specific plan to improve that care.”
Data collected and analyzed through these modules contain no personal identifiers and the entire process is fully compliant with HIPAA regulations. In addition to credit toward recertification from the ABIM, physicians who complete a module will earn 20 Category One Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits from the American Medical Association.
ABIM’s first Practice Improvement Module, focused on preventive cardiology, was released in March 2003. Modules are also available for diabetes, prevention, and asthma care. Those under development focus on care of the vulnerable elderly and inpatient care of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Long-term plans include modules for heart failure, osteoarthritis and end-of-life care.
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.
