ABPM Maintenance of Certification - Part 4-ACOEM MOC Part IV

ACOEM MOC Part IV - 2019

Pdf Summary

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) presents a 2019 Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program designed for diplomates certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM). This program fulfills Part 4: Improvement in Medical Practice (IMP) of the ABPM certification requirements. It is a structured, self-assessment quality improvement process aimed at enhancing practice performance in occupational and environmental medicine (OEM).<br /><br />The booklet guides diplomates through a multi-step process over at least four months: review of current practice, identification of an improvement area, development and implementation of a quality improvement plan, and reassessment of practice improvement. Participants choose one of three project types: Direct Clinical Patient Care, Population Health/Non-Direct Patient Care Activities, or Previously Completed Organizational Quality Improvement Projects. Each involves specific steps and documentation requirements for self-assessment and practice enhancement.<br /><br />For clinical care, diplomates perform chart reviews focusing on themes such as musculoskeletal disorders, work ability, environmental health/toxicology, or preventive medicine, assessing essential documentation elements and targeting areas with lower compliance rates for improvement. For non-clinical activities, participants evaluate practice components such as administration, teaching, research, or population health, gathering supervisor and peer feedback to identify improvement goals.<br /><br />Quality improvement plans follow recognized methodologies (e.g., Plan-Do-Study-Act), setting measurable goals and implementing actions such as continuing education, guideline implementation, or collaboration with colleagues. After a minimum of four months, participants reassess to measure improvement, documenting outcomes and reflections.<br /><br />All participants must apply at least two American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) core competencies—such as patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, or practice-based learning—and plan for continuous quality improvement beyond MOC fulfillment.<br /><br />The program emphasizes ethical conduct, patient-centered care, confidentiality, and adherence to OEM competencies defined by ACOEM, covering legal knowledge, environmental health, hazard control, toxicology, fitness for work, disaster preparedness, and education. Documentation, including chart reviews, supervisor evaluations, and quality improvement plans, must be submitted to ACOEM for verification. The process is aimed at promoting state-of-the-art, evidence-based OEM practice aligned with certification standards.

Keywords

ACOEM

Maintenance of Certification

ABPM

Improvement in Medical Practice

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Quality Improvement Plan

Clinical Patient Care

Population Health

Plan-Do-Study-Act

American Board of Medical Specialties