American Osteopathic Association commitment to quality and lifelong learning

Abstract

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) initiated programs to enhance quality for 54,000 doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) practicing in the United States. Seven core competencies are required in undergraduate and graduate medical education standards. They include osteopathic philosophy and osteopathic manipulative medicine, medical knowledge, patient care, professionalism, interpersonal or communication skills, practice-based learning, and systems-based practice. The AOA Clinical Assessment Program (AOA-CAP) is a quality improvement tool for physicians to evaluate the safety of patient care. Osteopathic residents and practicing physicians measure the quality and safety of patient care using evidence-based standards through an AOA-supported, Web-based architecture. Alternative models for recertification, including a Maintenance of Certification process, are under review by the AOA, the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (BOS), and osteopathic certifying boards. The BOS establishes and maintains standards for the various osteopathic certifying boards and oversees matters of policy, jurisdiction, and standards review. The American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine is the first osteopathic board to adopt a Maintenance of Certification process. The goals of the AOA's continuing medical education (CME) program are continued excellence of patient care and improvement of health and well-being of individual patients and the public. The AOA agrees that CME will play a critical role in recertification and continual assessment of physician competence. The AOA believes that proposed activities of the Conjoint Committee on CME and quality initiatives of the osteopathic profession are in tandem with goals and quality initiatives of the AOA.

Medical Board Complaints against Physicians Due to Communication: Analysis of North Carolina Medical Board Data, 2002–2012

“…5 The importance of communication as a core competency critical to physicians' effectiveness in practice has been affirmed across the continuum of medical education by accrediting, certifying and licensing bodies. Communication and interpersonal skills have been identified as a critical competency for physicians in graduate medical education, 6,7 specialty board certification, 8,9 and since 2004, for inclusion in the examinations accepted for medical licensure in this country (United States Medical Licensing Examination and Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination).…”