3/5/2018 American Board of Surgery New Continuous Certification Program Mission Statement of the ABS The American Board of Surgery serves the public and the specialty of surgery by providing leadership in surgical education and practice, by promoting excellence through rigorous evaluation and examination, and by promoting the highest standards for professionalism, lifelong learning, and the continuous certification of surgeons in practice. THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 2 History of the ABS ● Founded in 1937 by the leading surgical societies to differentiate formally trained surgeons from doctors in general practice ● Formed “to protect the public and improve the specialty” ● One of the first boards to institute recertification (1976) ● Continuous certification will help ensure future self-regulation THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 3 1
3/5/2018 The ABS Today ● 31,000 current diplomates ● 94% certified in general surgery ● 95% are participating in continuous certification ● All ABS directors are required to participate in continuous certification Directors, committee members, question writers, and examiners ● Through its board, component boards are all volunteers who donate their and advisory councils, the ABS time and expertise to the ABS includes representation from 44 societies, plus 3 at-large directors THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 4 ABS Leadership – 2017-2018 ● Dr. Mary Klingensmith, Chair ● Dr. Spence Taylor, Vice Chair ● Dr. Craig Kent, Vice Chair Elect Current Focus: ○ Improving continuous certification so it is more valuable to diplomates ○ Improving surgical training to better prepare graduating residents for practice THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 5 Executive Director ● Following an extensive national search, Dr. Jo Buyske named new ED ○ Previously associate executive director and director of evaluation ○ Still clinically active ○ Assumed executive director role Sept. 1, 2017 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 6 2
3/5/2018 Diplomate Outreach ● New “Speakers’ Bureau” to ensure ABS representation at as many surgical society meetings as possible ● Newsletters, surveys, volunteer opportunities ● Social media: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn ● Notifications when action is required ● Make sure we can reach you! Update your contact information anytime at www.absurgery.org THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 7 Why Continuous Certification? ● Establishes a national standard for maintaining knowledge and skill in surgical practice ● Documents the ongoing commitment of surgeons to professionalism, lifelong learning, and quality patient care ● Upholds board certification as a standard of quality defined by the surgical community ● Gives the surgical community a proactive position in the health care quality debate, using surgeon-developed metrics and reporting methods THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 8 Why Change? ● ABS recognized that the process needed to be more convenient and more reflective of a surgeon’s practice ● Initial survey sent to thousands of diplomates in Fall 2016 ● Survey results showed diplomates wanted a program that was more flexible and more practice-related Changes announced in July 2017 to begin a new direction for continuous certification 9 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 3
3/5/2018 Reporting Cycle Now in effect: ● 5-year reporting cycle ○ Diplomates will now report every 5 years , rather than 3, on professional standing, CME, and practice assessment activity ○ Reporting will remain an online process ○ Current cycles have been extended by 2 years ○ Check your status anytime on ABS website THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 10 Self-Assessment Now in effect: ● 50% reduction in self-assessment ○ New requirement: 150 Category 1 CME credits over 5 years, with 50 including self-assessment ○ Self-assessment means CME program includes a quiz or test, with at least a 75% passing score ○ See ABS website for more details and resources THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 11 New Assessment Option Starting in 2018: ● ABS will offer a new assessment process for general surgery, with other specialties to be phased in ● The secure exam will continue as an option in 2018 ● Survey sent in August to all diplomates to better understand what would be most helpful: content, frequency, etc. ○ Nearly 10,000 diplomates responded – 33% response rate 12 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 4
3/5/2018 Feedback ● August 2017 Survey Results : ○ 58% prefer a more frequent, open book, lower-stakes assessments to the 10-year model ○ 67% would like to complete the assessment no more frequently than every two years ○ Are strongly in favor of being tested on both core surgery concepts ( 86% ) and practice-specific content ( 83% ) ● Using this feedback, we have begun building the new assessment for general surgery that will be offered in 2018 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 13 Timeline for 2018 ● New general surgery assessment ○ Registration open Aug. 1 – Oct. 15 ○ Assessment window open from Sept. 7 – Nov. 5 ● Secure recertification exam ○ Registration also open Aug. 1 – Oct. 15 ○ Exam offered Nov. 26 – Dec. 10 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 14 New General Surgery Assessment ● General surgery assessment will have 40 questions : ○ 20 core surgical principles ○ 20 practice-related area: Select from General Surgery, Abdomen, Alimentary Tract or Breast for 2018 ● More practice-related areas will be added as program develops, with diplomate and society input ● References and a list of topics covered in the assessment will be shared with diplomates in advance 15 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 5
3/5/2018 Educational Model ● Assessments will have an educational format ○ Open book ○ No time limit per question ○ Immediate learner feedback – correct/incorrect with rationales ● Take on own computer – no testing center! ● Complete it at the time and place of your choosing THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 16 Scoring ● Second attempt to answer incorrect questions will be offered at end of assessment ● Immediate results based on overall score (correct answers from 1 st + 2 nd attempts) ● Must get a total of 80% correct after the two attempts to pass the assessment THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 17 Timing ● Must pass one assessment every other year ● Time Limits ○ Maximum of 2 weeks to complete assessment once started ○ Can save results at any point and return later ○ If unsuccessful, can retake the assessment the following year (grace year) ○ If unsuccessful in grace year, must pass a secure exam 18 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 6
3/5/2018 Annual Fee ● Once registered for first assessment, will be required to pay an annual fee of $285 ● Fee covers one assessment every other year and general program participation ● Reflects ongoing development and implementation of the new assessment program ● Diplomates must be up to date on payments and other Continuous Certification requirements to take assessment THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 19 Reduction in CME and Self-Assessment ● Once diplomates pass their first general surgery assessment, the CME and self-assessment requirement will change to: 125 CME credits over 5 years with no self-assessment required ● CME must be related to your practice – no other limitation on subject matter ● CME completed for state board requirements qualifies THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 20 New Assessment Enrollment ● All general surgery diplomates must begin taking new assessment by 2020 . This includes diplomates who take secure exam in 2018 ● New general surgery diplomates, starting with those who became certified in fall 2017, will begin taking assessment 3 years after they become certified ● A diplomate's certification status will then be contingent on passing the assessment every other year , as well as meeting other program requirements 21 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 7
3/5/2018 Pathway for Lapsed Diplomates ● New pathway for lapsed general surgery certificate holders to regain ABS certification using the new assessment ● This pathway will only be available for three years : 2018, 2019 and 2020 ● After 2020, passing a secure exam will be required ● See ABS website for more details THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 22 Updating Your Status ● As part of new program: ○ Two reference letters will be required every five years ○ One operative log (of any specialty) will be required every 10 years ● Diplomates are encouraged to maintain all of their information (e.g., privileges, CME, etc.) on an ongoing basis ● Go directly to certstatus.absurgery.org to check your status and submit information THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 23 Other Specialties ● Similar assessment programs are in development for other ABS specialties, to launch over next few years ● Each ABS component board will determine the assessment content for their specialty, with input from their diplomates and societies ● ABS staff are working on a streamlined process to assist diplomates who maintain multiple certificates 24 THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY | www.absurgery.org 8
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