STAT News (08/29/22) Bannow, Tara

Frustrated by expensive and time-consuming recertification, some doctors are opting for the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS), which requires no examinations and, compared with other organizations, does not cost as much. The board requires doctors to have completed 50 hours every two years of accredited continuing medical education (CME), educational activities such as conferences, or journal subscriptions to keep themselves up-to-date. Many practitioners meet and often exceed such requirements to retain their state licenses, and the approximately 10,300 doctors currently recertified through NBPAS consider it less onerous. "They're not saying maintenance of certification isn't important, they're saying it's aligned with the requirements your state has determined are necessary for a physician to practice," said Michigan-based psychiatrist Scott Monteith, who maintains his certification through NBPAS. "It's still a high bar." With NBPAS, doctors must have earned their initial certification through a leading board, and they must have an active and unrestricted state medical license. NBPAS reached a milestone in July, when the Joint Commission cleared it to verify credentials. The achievement coincides with a wider dialogue about burnout among healthcare providers and forthcoming physician retirements. Advocates also assert that accepting CME instead of tests allows doctors to choose materials most relevant to them.

Read More