Component 4

If your certification expires before 2027, you are required to complete four modules before your expiration date. You may substitute one (1) QI attestation for one of the required modules during each 3-year cycle.

Diplomates whose certification expires in 2027 and later are required to complete one (1) QI attestation during each 3-year cycle.

Overview

Component 4 requires physicians to engage in continuous quality improvement through comparison of personal practice performance measured against national standards for their medical specialty.

If you have a subspecialty certification, you are required to follow the Component 4 requirements of your primary certifying board. Please contact your primary certifying board for more information.

The purpose of OCC Component 4 is to assist physicians in continuous quality improvement in the field of Family Medicine. Please visit the AOA Physician Portal (login required) to view your OCC progress. Note that you will be required to sign into the site using your Osteopathic.org login information.

Once you have submitted a module application and received an authorization letter confirming approval from AOBFP, you may begin completion of the module(s) below.

Component 4 Modules

Coronary Artery Disease

This course is designed to provide structure for the quantitative evaluation of current osteopathic care provided individually and in the aggregate by osteopathic physicians. The physician learner will identify where quality-of-care improvements can be made in osteopathic physicians’ offices and provide educational interventions. GET STARTED

Evaluation and Management of Patient with Diabetes and Obesity

A new patient was referred to your office to be tested for hypothyroidism. How do you proceed? This course is designed to simulate a progression of counseling and treatment between a doctor and his patient. The physician learner will view simulated video encounters and answer clinical decision questions throughout. GET STARTED

Evaluation and Management of Patient with Hypertension

A new patient comes to your office with a complaint of back pain, but his vitals reveal a potential risk of hypertension. How do you proceed? This course is designed to simulate a progression of counseling and treatment between a doctor and his patient. The physician learner will view simulated video encounters and answer clinical decision questions throughout. GET STARTED

Medication Safety and Communication

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to identify methods/techniques for more effective communication to improve medication adherence and to reduce adverse drug reactions, as well as effectively communicate at the patient’s level of understanding. This course includes a pretest knowledge assessment, feedback comparing your performance with national benchmarks, completion of educational activities within the module based on pretest feedback, a post-test knowledge assessment, and an evaluation of the module. GET STARTED

Hypertension

This course is designed to provide structure for the quantitative evaluation of current osteopathic care provided individually and in the aggregate by osteopathic physicians. The physician learner will identify where quality-of-care improvements can be made in osteopathic physicians’ offices and provide educational interventions. GET STARTED

Low Back Pain

This course is designed to provide structure for the quantitative evaluation of current osteopathic care provided individually and in the aggregate by osteopathic physicians. The physician learner will identify where quality-of-care improvements can be made in osteopathic physicians’ offices and provide educational interventions. GET STARTED

Diabetes

This course is designed to provide structure for the quantitative evaluation of current osteopathic care provided individually and in the aggregate by osteopathic physicians. The physician learner will identify where quality-of-care improvements can be made in osteopathic physicians’ offices and provide educational interventions. GET STARTED

Quality Improvement (QI) Attestation

One quality improvement (QI) activity can earn Component 4 credit in place of one module. Diplomates who wish to submit an attestation of completing QI activities as part of their practice may do so via the AOA Physician Portal. FAQs about attestation criteria are also located in the AOA Physician Portal.

Note: When submitting an attestation, include the name of a supervisor who can confirm that the QI project is in process.

What is a quality improvement (QI) activity?

Quality improvement (QI) consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the status of targeted patient groups. QI activities can be completed within your institution or as part of a national initiative. OCC Component 4 requires that you engage in continuous quality improvement through the comparison of personal practice performance measured against national standards for your medical specialty.

Non-clinical Diplomates

If you are currently working in a non-clinical environment, you can complete and submit the Non-Clinical Attestation Form and complete one of the online modules below to satisfy the Component 4 requirement:

Once you have completed the online module, go to your Physician Portal and add it as a QI project under OCC Component 4.

Please use the following format when adding the quality improvement activity title:

Non-Clinical Attestation – Health and Human Services Cultural Competency Module
Non-Clinical Attestation – OMED22 Culturally Competent Care

Osteopathic Continuous Certification

Component 4: Practice Performance Assessment & Improvement