The ACC has decided we need to define what are the “core competencies” for the cardiologist — we want to develop a process to describe and continuously update what a competent cardiologist is expected to know and do.

We believe this effort will help inform the ABIM about how to best design the most relevant recertification processes, as well as to serve as the foundation for important educational products and programs to assist members in staying current and preparing for recertification. These efforts could also promote (and take the stress out of) voluntary recertification for grandfathered members.

It’s amazing to me that we haven’t been doing this for decades — it seems a core responsibility of the College. And, it’s clearly better for us to continuously define competency ourselves rather than have it defined by external pay-for-performance programs!

CMS has been listening to our advocacy recommendations it appears: They announced last week a pilot program to permit reporting to the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) through (approved) registries, to encourage ease of participation. We’re excited that NCDR® was selected from more than 30 self-nominations to participate in the pilots! Consenting physicians and practices will be able to have aggregated data reported for several PQRI measures via the new NCDR IC3 Registry®. Physicians who begin reporting in July 2008 will still be eligible to qualify for an incentive payment in the 2008 program. For more information about the changes and the PQRI program, visit the CMS Web site here.