With respect to other specialties, it is becoming increasingly important for there to be greater consistency among the boards. This is particularly true when the ABMS is discussing policy decisions with regulators to maintain the privilege of professional self-regulation. By the way, if physicians don’t think that self-regulation is being threatened, look at the intrusion of government into quality reporting and physician reimbursement.

How do you envision the ABEM presidency being different than your ACEP presidency?

Well, let me start with some commonalities. Both boards are composed of incredibly talented and motivated emergency physicians who want to improve the specialty. It is an honor to be in service to emergency physicians; I can think of serving no finer group of professionals. As President of ACEP and now as President of ABEM, I see myself as a servant leader, with an opportunity to move the specialty forward. In addition, as a community physician, I want to ensure that the voice of the community physician is heard.

ABEM and ACEP are markedly different organizations in that ACEP is a membership organization with an emphasis on advocacy and education. ABEM is a certifying body with a quasi-regulatory function. With initial certification, ABEM makes certain that physicians meet very high professional standards. Throughout a physician’s career, maintaining certification means that the physician is continuing to meet those standards. ABEM certification is a credential to be proud of. Being certified is hard work and the public, payers, and credentialers value it. After all, it is what sets us apart from our non–board-certified colleagues.

A recent example is that we are piloting a program of no longer requiring the attestation of a patient experience of care or patient satisfaction survey. We are committed to finding a more meaningful way to assess professionalism and physician communication. We are also going to start providing greater detail in the score reports with the 2017 Lifelong Learning and Self Assessment, which I think diplomates will like.

How do you see MOC changing in the future?

There has never been a time when ABEM hasn’t been changing its MOC program. However, ABEM must make changes that comply with the ABMS 2015 MOC standards. Most of the changes to MOC that ABEM has made result from feedback from our diplomates; we definitely listen to diplomate suggestions. A recent example is that we are piloting a program of no longer requiring the attestation of a patient experience of care or patient satisfaction survey. We are committed to finding a more meaningful way to assess professionalism and physician communication. We are also going to start providing greater detail in the score reports with the 2017 Lifelong Learning and Self Assessment, which I think diplomates will like.