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MOC Fees Policy
The American Board of Ophthalmology establishes recertification fees annually based
on contract agreements with testing vendors and the overall cost of administering the
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process. Fees cover the 10-year cost of
recertification for ABO-administered activities along with two printed certificates
suitable for framing.
The ABO aims to keep MOC fees low, and has not increased fees in more than four
years. Diplomates in active duty United States military service may request a 50% refund
on MOC fees.
2015 Fees
Maintaining certification in ophthalmology costs each diplomate $200 per year or
$2,000 for each 10-year period. These fees include access to:
Three Periodic Ophthalmic Review Tests (PORTs): PORTs are 50-item, self-review
modules available online, on-demand. PORTs are available in core ophthalmic
knowledge (knowledge considered fundamental to the practice of ophthalmology) and
10 different practice focus areas. Effective April 1, 2015, each PORT module is worth 2
AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credits.
One Patient Safety Module: Participation in a patient safety activity is a requirement for
all diplomates certified or recertified as of 2012 (MOC Track 2). The ABO has developed
a Patient Safety Module which can be completed online in 2-3 hours, and is worth 3
AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credits. The ABO Patient Safety Module is designed to help
diplomates evaluate their quality improvement knowledge, learn valuable
communication strategies, and discover new team-based approaches to patient care.
The Demonstration of Cognitive Knowledge (DOCK) Examination: Diplomates must
successfully pass the Demonstration of Ophthalmic Cognitive Knowledge (DOCK)
examination once during their 10-year MOC cycle in order to complete MOC Part 3. The
DOCK examination tests fundamental cognitive knowledge in ophthalmology as well as
current and clinically valid practice-related knowledge. The exam is based on the MOC
Content Outline, a curriculum of clinically relevant ophthalmic knowledge developed by
the Board. The DOCK is administered by appointment at Prometric Test Centers
nationwide every September.
Improvement in Medical Practice Pathways: ABO MOC Part 4 is designed to engage
diplomates in the ongoing assessment and improvement of patient care in
ophthalmology. Participating in one of three available Part 4 options encourages
diplomates to demonstrate their use of evidence and best practices compared to peers
and benchmarks.
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Option 1: Practice Improvement Modules (PIMs): Practice Improvement
Modules (PIMs) are self-directed online activities that require practicing
ophthalmologists to review 30 patient records associated with a diagnosis or
diagnoses that they wish to improve upon. PIMs assist ophthalmologists with
the evaluation of their practice standards; identify areas for improvement
through self-assessment and promote the reduction of gaps in quality of care
through improved patient outcomes. Diplomates can claim up to 20 AMA PRA
Category 1 CME Credits per PIM, up to two times in total (40 CME).
Option 2: A Self-Directed or Group-Based Quality Improvement Project: The
ABO encourages diplomates to tailor their Part 4 experience to the topic(s) most
relevant to their practice. Diplomates are permitted to develop their own
individual or group-based clinical or non-clinical projects rather than selecting
from an existing PIM.
Option 3: The Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program: Institution-based quality
improvement projects may be submitted by approved Portfolio Sponsors
through the Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program. The Portfolio Program promotes
organizational effectiveness and efficiency through team-based quality
improvement initiatives that are directly related to the physicians’ practice and
influences the patient care delivered. This program promotes improvement
within a physician’s home institution and patient population.
(Optional) Patient Experience of Care Survey: Access to the Patient Experience of Care
Survey is available to all diplomates, although it is not a required MOC activity. The
Patient Experience of Care Survey is a practice assessment tool consisting of 15
questions (5 demographic and 10 specifically designed to assess a physician's
communication style during the patient/doctor encounter.) The survey provides
patients with easy-to-follow directions along with the ability to submit their responses
via paper, phone IVR, or web-based technologies.
Additional Fees:
• Extra Periodic Ophthalmic Review Tests (PORTs): Diplomates have the option
to purchase additional practice modules at a cost of $100 per module.
• Certificates: Two ABO certificates are provided to each diplomate; extra copies
may be ordered at $30 per certificate.
• Late Registration for the DOCK Exam: Diplomates are assessed a $300 late fee
for registering for the DOCK Exam between June 2 to August 1. This fee helps
the ABO recoup late fees assessed by the test vendor.
Active Duty Military Fee Reimbursement
Effective 2015, active duty United States Military service members will be refunded 50%
of all paid certification and Maintenance of Certification fees remitted in 2015 and
forward. To claim reimbursement, Candidates/Diplomates should submit the standard
registration or annual fee, and then submit a copy of their active duty paperwork to
[email protected] with a request for a refund. The ABO will issue a check or credit card
refund within 10 business days.
MOC Cost vs. Value
The monetary value of the ABO MOC process is greater than its cost. The opportunities
for CME credit alone exceed in value the cost of MOC participation. For example, a
diplomate may claim up to 49 CME credits for completion of two Practice Improvement
Modules (PIMs), the Patient Safety Module (PSM), and the Periodic Ophthalmic Review
Tests (PORTs). With the average cost of a CME credit being about $50 per hour, this
makes ABO’s 49 free credits worth $2,450—or nearly $500 more valuable than the total
cost of recertification.
Additionally, the ABO provides diplomates with easy-to-use tools to share their Board
Certification information with their patients:
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Personalized MOC Participation Web Badge: All diplomates participating in
MOC can download a custom web badge for their practice websites or social
media profiles. Each badge links directly to the ABO verification page for that
diplomate's certification status.
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Public Search Profile Page: The search information provided through the Verify
a Physician search tool details the American Board of Ophthalmology
certification history for each ophthalmologist. Diplomates have the option to
create a detailed diplomate information page for patients to view, which
includes information about training, practice location, and office contact
information.