According to a report by MedPage Today, the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS) has been established to provide physicians with an alternative path to board recertification. Founded by vocal critics of maintenance of certification, such as Paul Teirstein, MD of the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, CA, the NBPAS presents new competition for the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in the board recertification process.
From the NBPAS website:
"The National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS) is committed to providing certification that ensures physician compliance with national standards and promotes lifelong learning. We require fulfillment of the following criteria for board certification:
- Candidates must have been previously certified by an American Board of Medical Specialties member board. Initially, NBPAS will only certify physicians in selected specialties. Other specialties and other boards will follow.
- Candidates must have a valid, unrestricted license to practice medicine in at least one US state.
- Candidates must have completed a minimum of 50 hours of continuing medical education (CME) within the past 24 months, provided by a recognized provider of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). CME must be related to one or more of the specialties in which the candidate is applying. Re-entry for physicians with lapsed certification requires 100 hours of CME with the past 24 months.
- For some specialties (ie interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, critical care), candidates must have active privileges to practice that specialty in at least one US hospital licensed by a nationally recognized credentialing organization with deeming authority from CMS (ie JCHAO, HFAP, DNV).
- A candidate who has had their medical staff appointment/membership or clinical privileges in the specialty for which they are seeking certification involuntarily revoked and not reinstated, must have subsequently maintained medical staff appointment/membership or clinical privileges for at least 24 months in another US hospital licensed by a nationally recognized credentialing organization with deeming authority from CMS (ie JCHAO, HFAP, DNV)."
For the full report from MedPage Today, please click here.
