Part 4: Improvement in Medical Practice

 

Participation Reporting and Frequency

Part 4 of Continuing Certification (MOC) requires that diplomates have completed at least one Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) Project or Participatory Quality Improvement Activity within the last three calendar years. A PQI Project or Activity may be conducted repeatedly or continuously to meet PQI requirements. Diplomates should retain documentation of their PQI Project or Activity, but submission of such materials to the ABR is required ONLY if a diplomate is audited. Routine submission of such proof of participation to the ABR is neither required nor accepted.  

Quality Improvement Definition

The ABR defines “quality improvement” as a systematic approach to the study of healthcare and/or a commitment to continuously improve performance and outcomes in healthcare. The ABR honors each diplomate’s privilege to choose PQI activities or projects that are pertinent to his or her own practice and that meet the spirit of this definition.  

Practice Quality Improvement Options

PQI activity involves continuous engagement of healthcare professionals in efforts anticipated to lead to better health outcomes for patients and better system performance, leading to improved patient care and/or enhanced professional development. The ABR recognizes two categories of activities that demonstrate a diplomate’s commitment to and participation in quality improvement and that satisfy ABR Continuing Certification (MOC) Part 4 requirements:   Option 1: Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) Projects A PQI Project is either designed by the diplomate using any standard quality improvement methodology, such as the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle approach, or is developed by a group practice, a department at a healthcare or academic institution, a healthcare system, or a society at the local, regional, or national level. A project developed by these entities (including individuals) for their own use need not go through the formal ABR qualification process. Examples include the following:

• Improving report turnaround time
• Improving patient access (next available appointment)
• Optimizing radiation dose/exam or frequency of repeat exams
• Improving timeout process for procedures
• Decreasing wrong patient/wrong procedure events
• Standardizing reports
• Reducing MRI safety events
• Improving critical results notification
• Improving handoffs of care

PQI Project Resources  The ABR has worked with societies to develop a wide selection of qualified PQI projects with templates to guide diplomates through initiation and completion. Many societies are also working to develop centralized databases for these projects, which ultimately can be used to benchmark a participating diplomate’s practice with national performance data. For diplomate convenience, qualified society projects are listed on the ABR website with links to the respective societies. For a list of these projects, click here.