Renal Physicians Association Announces ABIM MOC Credit Earning Opportunity for Nephrologists' Participation in QAPI

ROCKVILLE, Md., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Renal Physicians Association (RPA) is pleased to announce that the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Nephrology Board has approved the RPA's Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) in Dialysis Facility activity for 20 Practice Assessment Maintenance of Certification (MOC) points and Patient Safety MOC credit. Starting this fall, nephrologists associated with participating dialysis facilities may obtain MOC credit for their participation in QAPI activities.

"We're delighted to offer the opportunity for nephrologists to earn MOC credit for their day to day clinical practice activities," said Rebecca Schmidt, DO, RPA President.

"Through use of QAPI, dialysis facility Medical Directors are leading efforts to document and improve the quality of care at dialysis facilities, which provide life-saving treatment," said Richard J. Baron, MD, President and CEO of ABIM. "We are excited to be working with RPA to provide MOC credit for these activities and will continue to collaborate with health care organizations to enable physicians to seamlessly earn MOC credit for other activities they are engaged in to improve patient care."

How the QAPI in Dialysis Facility process works

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services' (CMS) Conditions for Coverage (CfC) require that dialysis facilities hold monthly QAPI meetings. The nephrologist medical director is not only expected to attend, but also to lead the meeting.
• Clinical quality data is collected and presented at the meeting and the dialysis facilities maintain documentation of QAPI meeting participants, discussions and action plans.
• Data is generated each month to evaluate the effects of the interventions.
• Although Medical Directors are expected to lead the QAPI process in the dialysis facility, all of the facility's credentialed attending physicians may participate in the QAPI process for MOC credit
• This new RPA-ABIM approved program will allow Medical Directors in participating dialysis organizations to earn MOC credit for quality improvement activities and encourage attending physicians to more fully participate in the QAPI process. 

How to earn MOC credit 

RPA will collect data directly from participating nephrologists including the facility name, dates of participation and the topic(s) reviewed via the Kidney Quality Improvement Registry, which is supported by Premier Inc.'s CECity capabilities. Following verification by the facility, RPA will transmit the verified data of the nephrologist's participation to ABIM, and ABIM will issue the MOC credit. Nephrologists will be notified that their MOC credit has been assigned via an automated email from ABIM. They may also access their Self-Evaluation Activity Report on the ABIM website to confirm the MOC credit has been granted.  

The RPA QAPI MOC Program fee is $50 per physician, per year, paid by the participating nephrologist. The fee includes any and all months remaining in the defined RPA QAPI licensing period (e.g., Jan 1 – Dec 31).

To learn whether your dialysis organization is participating in this MOC activity, please contact your facility administrator or the RPA. Dialysis organizations must decide by July 15, 2016, if they wish to participate in this program in 2016.

Although ABIM extended the decision not to require Practice Assessment, Patient Voice and Patient Safety in its MOC program through December 31, 2018, physicians can still earn MOC points for completing approved Practice Assessment activities such as this one.

For further information about RPA's QAPI opportunity to earn MOC credit, please contact Amy Beckrich, RPA Project Director, at 301-468-3515 or [email protected].

About RPA
The Renal Physicians Association (RPA) is the professional organization of nephrologists whose goal is to ensure quality care under the highest standards of medical practice for patients with kidney disease and related disorders. To learn more about RPA and its programs and services go to www.renalmd.org.

About ABIM
For 80 years, certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has stood for the highest standard in internal medicine and its 20 subspecialties and has meant that internists have demonstrated—to their peers and to the public—that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care. ABIM is not a membership society, but a non-profit, independent evaluation organization. Our accountability is both to the profession of medicine and to the public. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. For additional updates, follow ABIM on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Renal Physicians Association

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