Resistance against the American Board of Internal Medicine’s maintenance of certification process is growing, with an online petition to overturn the board’s most recent changes having collected more than 13,000 signatures at press time.

The petition was organized by Dr. Paul Teirstein, chief of cardiology and director of interventional cardiology for Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif.

Dr. Teirstein said that he began the drive out of his own sense of frustration with the ABIM maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements. He e-mailed some physicians he knew and encouraged them to sign. The petition went viral soon after being posted on March 20, Dr. Teirstein said.

Those who sign the petition agree that:

• ABIM has made unreasonable changes in MOC requiring more frequent participation and higher fees.

• Scientific data demonstrating the benefit of MOC is lacking.

• MOC activities are complex, of questionable value, and detract from other worthwhile pursuits, including patient care and other educational activities.

• A test administered every 10 years for recertification is a sufficient metric for MOC.

The bottom line: Petition signers want the ABIM to overhaul the process and require recertification once every 10 years.

The ABIM took the effort seriously enough to respond on its Web site.

"As medical knowledge and practices continue to change, a continuous MOC program tells the community that a physician is staying up-to-date, has met a knowledge standard established by his or her physician peers, and is engaged in ongoing assessment of his or her practice," Dr. Richard Baron, ABIM president, said in the statement.

Physicians who commented on the petition did not agree.

Dr. Jesse Naghi, a third-year fellow at the University of California, San Diego, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, wrote, "Asking for more money on top of our already high recertification fees seems rather greedy."

"This is an arm-twisting and money-making scam by our own board," said Dr. Garrett Sanford, of Little Rock, Ark.

"We do recognize that there is a cost – for the large majority of our physicians, the entire program costs from $200 to $400 per year," said Dr. Baron, in his statement. "Our fee structure covers the costs of developing and administering the secure, computer-based exams at test centers nationwide, as well as the ongoing development and release of all ABIM self-assessment products," he said, adding, "I encourage the petition signers to visit ABIM’s revenue and expenses [Web page] for more information."

Petition signers also claim that contrary to the board’s contention, neither patients nor payers value the MOC process nor are they demanding that physicians prove they’ve met the requirements. They also say that there is no evidence that MOC improves quality of care.

The board does not agree. "There is a good deal of research demonstrating the value of MOC. From the validity of the examination, to the importance of independent assessments – clinicians are not good at evaluating their own weaknesses," according to Dr. Baron’s statement.

Dr. Baron also promised that the ABIM would create more ways for physicians to earn credit.

The ABIM’s open letter shows that "the petition has definitely had an impact," Dr. Teirstein said.

Dr. Ron Benbassat, a cofounder of Change Board Certification, a group that wants to scale back the MOC, called Dr. Baron’s remarks a "boilerplate political statement."

The MOC "should be eliminated, given the numerous CME programs that exist that are not only cost effective, but are incredibly successful, and do not take time away from patient care," said Dr. Benbassat, a board-certified internist in Beverly Hills, Calif., who has completed MOC once already.

Dr. Benbassat and the physicians who have joined Change Board Certification, believe that MOC should not be associated with hospital privileges, insurance reimbursement, or network participation. It should not be required for maintenance of licensure either, said Dr. Benbassat, who is concerned that ABIM is discussing tying licensure to MOC.

Meanwhile, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons has filed suit against the American Board of Medical Specialties, claiming that the MOC process is a restraint of trade because it will effectively keep doctors from practicing if they do not participate. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on April 23, and seeks to stop what it calls the ABMS’s "continuing violations of antitrust law and misrepresentations about the medical skills of physicians who decline to purchase and spend time on its program."

The organization is also aiming to get a refund of fees paid by its members to ABMS and its 24 member boards.

aault@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @aliciaault

Backlash grows against MOC process