Continuous improvement in patient safety and quality in neurological surgery: the American Board of Neurological Surgery in the past, present, and future.

Marjorie C Wang,John A Wilson,Frederick A Boop,Fredric B Meyer,Judy Huang,Elizabeth Koehnen,Paul J Camarata,Carl B Heilman,Steven N Kalkanis,Alex B Valadka,Nathan R Selden,Linda M Liau,Richard G Ellenbogen,Douglas Kondziolka,Russell R Lonser,Richard W Byrne,Anthony L Asher,Elad I Levy,Kevin M Cockroft,Daniel K Resnick,E Sander Connolly,John J Knightly

doi:10.3171/2020.6.jns202066

Abstract

The American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) was incorporated in 1940 in recognition of the need for detailed training in and special qualifications for the practice of neurological surgery and for self-regulation of quality and safety in the field. The ABNS believes it is the duty of neurosurgeons to place a patient's welfare and rights above all other considerations and to provide care with compassion, respect for human dignity, honesty, and integrity. At its inception, the ABNS was the 13th member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which itself was founded in 1933. Today, the ABNS is one of the 24 member boards of the ABMS.To better serve public health and safety in a rapidly changing healthcare environment, the ABNS continues to evolve in order to elevate standards for the practice of neurological surgery. In connection with its activities, including initial certification, recognition of focused practice, and continuous certification, the ABNS actively seeks and incorporates input from the public and the physicians it serves. The ABNS board certification processes are designed to evaluate both real-life subspecialty neurosurgical practice and overall neurosurgical knowledge, since most neurosurgeons provide call coverage for hospitals and thus must be competent to care for the full spectrum of neurosurgery.The purpose of this report is to describe the history, current state, and anticipated future direction of ABNS certification in the US.

Highlights

The purpose of this report is to describe the history, current state, and anticipated future direction of American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) certification in the US
To better serve public health and safety in a rapidly changing healthcare environment, the ABNS continues to evolve in order to elevate standards for the practice of neurological surgery
The ABNS board certification processes are designed to evaluate both real-life subspecialty neurosurgical practice and overall neurosurgical knowledge, since most neurosurgeons provide call coverage for hospitals and must be competent to care for the full spectrum of neurosurgery

Summary

20 AMA PRA Category 1 credits in neurological surgery annually

E.g., morbidity & mortality conference, etc., evaluation of personal outcomes & complications. The ABNS modified the program to better reflect the needs of the diplomates and the public, recently introducing a new CC process focused entirely on clinically relevant knowledge updates, professionalism, and practice improvement. The ABNS defines the requirements for CC in neurological surgery, develops and administers the adaptive learning tool, and tracks diplomates’ compliance with the other program requirements These focused, annual CC requirements replace the previous 10-year ABNS MOC cycle in response to new ABMS requirements, as well as to the feedback and perception that the 10-year time period was too lengthy to ensure that diplomates remain current in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.[5] the ABNS still issues a 10year time-limited certificate, the review process for compliance is annual. 20% of learning tool content is changed each year to reflect the latest high-quality information available and to allow the ABNS to monitor learning over time and meet ABMS requirements for CC

Conclusions

Findings

Disclosures