AHA to join the ABMS Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program

By Jay Bhatt, D.O., and David W. Price, MD, FAAFP, FACEHP

The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Board of Medical Specialties’ (ABMS) today announced that AHA is joining the ABMS Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program (Portfolio Program). The Portfolio Program allows physicians in selected organizations, participating in meaningful, rigorous practice improvement activities, to use those practice-relevant activities as part of their process of maintaining specialty board certification.  

As part of the Portfolio Program, hospitals participating in the Health Research & Educational Trust’s (HRET) Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) can now help physicians earn Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV) credit for their involvement in selected improvement activities. We are excited to work in a coordinated fashion to offer physicians the opportunity to earn credit for the work they are already doing in quality improvement.  This helps reduce burden and duplication while supporting physicians’ desire to focus on the care of their patients and families. The AHA is committed to advancing health in America with strong physician partnership.  

Our participation with the Portfolio Program aims to reduce burdens and support physicians in delivering quality patient care, enhancing professional growth, and maintaining well-being. Credit will be offered initially to physicians working in 11 topic areas covered by the HIIN, including adverse drug events, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, early elective deliveries, falls, obstetric harm, pressure ulcers, readmissions, surgical site infections, ventilator-associated events and venous thromboembolism. Visit the HIIN topics page to learn more.  

With more than 1,600 participating hospitals, HRET’s HIIN is the first in the country to offer this service. We look forward in growing this effort beyond the HRET HIIN over time. We hope this program will provide incentives for physicians to continue to partner with hospitals and create long-lasting change in their organizations.

Jay Bhatt, D.O.,  is Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, President and CEO, Health Research & Educational Trust.

David W. Price, MD, FAAFP, FACEHP, is Senior Vice-President, ABMS Research and Education Foundation and Executive Director, ABMS Multi-Specialty Portfolio Approval Program, American Board of Medical Specialties.