OSTEOPATHIC BOARD CERTIFICATION

Component 4: Practice Performance Assessment & Improvement

Overview

Under Component 4 of the OCC process for the specialty of Pediatrics, physicians must complete two online practice performance assessments at any time during each nine-year OCC cycle. Physicians can visit the AOA Physician Portal to attest. You can log into the portal using your osteopathic.org user name and password. No CME will be awarded for attesting on the physician portal.

This Component can be fulfilled through a Quality Improvement Activity (QI) or Practice Performance Assessment (PPA).

What is a Quality Improvement (QI) Activity?
A QI Activity consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the status of targeted patient groups. The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) defines quality in health care as a direct correlation between the level of improved health services and the desired health outcomes of individuals and populations. QI activities can be completed within your institution or as part of a national initiative. Each QI activity attested will count for one PPA module.

What is Practice Performance Assessment (PPA)?
OCC Component 4 requires that you engage in continuous quality improvement through comparison of personal practice performance measured against national standards for your medical specialty. Quality Improvement activities often fall into two major categories: Process Improvement and Condition Management/Improvement. Attesting to a quality improvident activity can count for credit under Practice Performance Assessment (PPA).

What are some examples?
QI activities often fall into two major categories: Process Improvement and Condition Management / Improvement. Please contact your specialty board if you have questions about a specific activity, or email [email protected].

Below are some examples of approved quality improvement projects (note this is not a comprehensive list):

  • Childhood obesity in primary care
  • HPV Quality Improvement Project Midwest Region QI Collaborative
  • Improving provider knowledge about trauma screening and care: Implementing use of ACE-Q
  • AAP-CA2 HPV Vaccination QI Project
  • Collaborative Mental Health Program
  • A Quality Improvement Project to Improve Administration of the Hepatitis B Vaccine Birth Dose Within 12 Hours of Life
  • Access to care
  • COVID -19
  • Telemedicine
  • Wound care
  • Discharge (planning, documentation, elimination of delays, etc.)

Important update for non-clinical physicians

Access the AOA Physician Portal and click on Submit an Attestation Form. Please indicate on the form that you are a non-clinical physician and indicate the type of work you are performing.