| Option 1 |
*NEW* Develop a COVID-19 Project |
| Time Commitment |
At least 30 days |
| Availability |
Application accessible via your MOC Status Page |
| Description |
Earn MOC credit for implementing measures to protect against COVID-19. For example, your project could focus on improving in-office hygiene, virtual patient check-in and check-out, mitigation for transmission in clinic, social distancing for patients and staffing in light of COVID19, and future infectious disease threats. For other project ideas related to the coronavirus, view the collection of Sample Project Applications submitted by your colleagues or refer to: Lai, T.H.T., Tang, E.W.H., Chau, S.K.Y. et al. Stepping up infection control measures in ophthalmology during the novel coronavirus outbreak: an experience from Hong Kong. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol (2020) and the AAO's Coronavirus Resource Center. |
| Option 2 |
Use the Quarterly Questions® Article Pathway |
| Time Commitment |
3-8 hours |
| Availability |
Online, on-demand via your MOC Status Page |
| Description |
Increase the value of your Quarterly Questions participation when you use it to count as one Improvement in Medical Practice activity. To qualify, answer the 40 available knowledge questions for the year, then head to your Quarter 3 Article Library. Within your minimum of five article selections, choose the three articles labeled “Quality Improvement” and answer two questions about each article. This option is available from 2019 forward only. If you have already completed the DOCK Exam during your current MOC cycle, you can skip the knowledge questions and move straight into the quality articles. The Quarterly Questions article pathway may be used as one improvement activity per cycle. |
| Option 3 |
Complete 1 of 5 Designated AAO CME Courses |
| Time Commitment |
Varies based on course |
| Availability |
Online through the American Academy of Ophthalmology |
| Description |
The AAO offers five online CME activity options which have been approved for Improvement in Medical Practice credit by the ABO. Completing any one of these AAO activities will satisfy the MOC requirement and provide you with the ability to claim CME. If you are an AAO member, access to these activities is included in the price of your membership. Current activity options include Building Best Practices for Informed Consent, Choosing Wisely: Leading Patients to Recommended Care, Improving Outcomes in Cataract Surgery: Targeting Best Corrected Visual Acuity, Improving Outcomes in Cataract Surgery: Targeting Uncorrected Visual Acuity, or Improving Vision after Retinal Detachment Repair. Activity completion is reported to the ABO by the AAO on a weekly basis. For more information, view the activity guide. |
| Option 4 |
Design an Individual Project |
| Time Commitment |
Typically several months |
| Availability |
Application accessible via your MOC Status Page |
| Description |
To begin, you will use an online application form based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology to build an improvement project proposal. The focus of your project must be based on improving processes and/or outcomes within your actual patient population. Following approval of your proposal, you will implement your plan in your practice and report out on your results. Your project is not scored, but you will be asked to submit a reflection statement on the process and what you learned. Diplomates have created a variety of successful projects to address clinical and non-clinical topics. |
| Option 5 |
Create a Group or Team-Based Project |
| Time Commitment |
Typically several months |
| Availability |
Application accessible via your MOC Status Page |
| Description |
Create or adopt a project developed by a group practice, a department at an academic institution, a healthcare system, or a local, regional, or national medical society or organization. To begin, you will use an online application form based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology to build an improvement project proposal. The focus of your project must be based on improving processes and/or outcomes within your actual patient population. Following approval of your proposal, you will implement your plan in your practice and report out on your results. Your project is not scored, but you will be asked to submit a reflection statement on the process and what you learned. Diplomates have created a variety of successful projects to address clinical and non-clinical topics. |
| Option 6 |
Join a Multi-Specialty Project at Your Institution |
| Time Commitment |
Varies |
| Availability |
At the discretion of your practicing institution |
| Description |
A service provided through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program (MSPP) partners with all types of health care organizations to recognize the work physicians are already doing to improve their practices and the care of their patients. The ABO recommends choosing organizational projects that relate to topics such as: medication errors and practice access issues; wrong site surgery/wrong choice surgery/inappropriate surgery; low vision-related safety issues; professionalism; or diagnostic errors. Participation is managed by the MSPP contact at your home institution. |