SJR 62

SJR62 191376-2 By Senators Melson, Albritton, Allen, Beasley, Blackwell, Brewbaker, Bussman, Chambliss, Coleman-Madison, Dial, Dunn, Figures, Glover, Hightower, Holley, Holtzclaw, Livingston, Marsh, McClendon, Orr, Pittman, Reed, Sanders, Sanford, Scofield, Shelnutt, Singleton, Smith, Smitherman, Stutts, Waggoner, Ward, Whatley and Williams RFD: First Read: 13-FEB-18 SJR62 SJR62 ENROLLED, SJR62, URGING THE AMERICAN BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALITIES TO HONOR ITS COMMITMENT TO REDUCE THE BURDEN AND COST OF THE MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ON ALABAMA PHYSICIANS. WHEREAS, Alabama physicians support lifelong learning, self-regulation and the highest standards for medical care; and WHEREAS, some physicians, in addition to maintaining state medical licensure, also voluntarily pursue board certification within their respective medical specialities to further their education, knowledge, experience, and skills; and WHEREAS, up until the American Board of Medical Specialities (ABMS) created its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, medical specialty board certification was largely held as a lifetime credential; and WHEREAS, Alabama physicians desiring to maintain their specialty board certification believe the current MOC program neither reflects the realities of their individual practice environments nor does it improve quality of medical care; and SJR62 WHEREAS, the increasingly burdensome requirements of MOC, which include significant time away from clinical practice and considerable financial expenditures necessary for board review courses and materials and travel to testing sites, have driven some physicians to drop board certification altogether; and WHEREAS, ABMS member boards, in the opinion of Alabama physicians, have abused the privilege with which they have been entrusted by their diplomates through punitive application of MOC at the expense of Alabama physicians, their families, and ultimately, Alabama patients; and WHEREAS, while speciality board certification remains technically voluntary, certification has increasingly become a requirement for hospital staff privileges and reimbursement; and WHEREAS, the Medical Association of the State of Alabama adopted at its 2017 Annual Session an official policy supporting maintenance of skills and other efforts to improve quality of care but opposing "any further requirements for MOC as a condition of licensure, reimbursement, employment or admitting privileges at a hospital"; and WHEREAS, the Medical Association of the State of Alabama's MOC Study Committee, recognizing the multitude of problems with the current AMBS MOC model, believes the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons should also be given SJR62 consideration by physicians seeking specialty board certification; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That the ABMS is called upon to exhibit leadership and influence in encouraging its member boards to make immediate changes to their MOC progress, and changes should at a minimum include an end to mandatory high-stakes testing, creation of other pathways for recertification, and a significant reduction in cost and time required of physicians. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That while pursuit of federal or state legislative remedies remains a possibility, absent substantial improvement in MOC in the aforementioned areas, ABMS can likely expect further physician exodus en masse in favor of certifying boards with clinically relevant programs that foster lifelong learning in a non-punitive manner. BE IT EVEN FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the American Board of Medical Specialities and each member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation. SJR62 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives SJR62 Senate 13-FEB-18 I hereby certify that the within Senate Joint Resolution originated in and was adopted by the Senate. Patrick Harris, Secretary. House of Representatives Adopted: 20-FEB-18 By: Senator Melson