| 2008 Important Exam Dates Application Deadline Early: July 1, 2008 Final: August 15, 2008 Certification Exams September 28-29, 2008 Tampa, FL |
| Certification Information |
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• Policies & Procedures for |
Patient Care Review (PCR)
All candidates for board certification by the ABBM will be subject to an onsite Patient Care Review conducted by a Diplomate of the ABBM. The purpose of the review is to determine compliance with the ASBP/ABBM Bariatric Practice Guidelines or other practice standards as may be adopted by ABBM. The reviewer will review patient files and other sources for documentation of the candidate's compliance with the guidelines. Click here to see a sample of the Patient Care Review Evaluation form and the PCR content areas.
A minimum of 50 bariatric patient charts spanning one year or more is needed for an onsite review and evidence of the candidate's maintenance program for patients who have reached their goal weight must be evidenced in some of the available charts. The records selected at random by the reviewer should be for patients for whom the applicant has direct patient care responsibility on a continuing basis. Please note that direct patient care is required. The patient charts must come from the Candidate's current practice at the time he/she applies for the site review. Candidates considering a practice relocation should factor in the scheduling of their patient care review. Extensions on the site review will not be granted.
Applicants apply for a Patient Care Review by submitting a Patient Care Review Questionnaire to the ABBM office after successfully completing the written and oral exams. There is no additional application fee for the review unless a second or subsequent review is required. Once the questionnaire is received by ABBM, an onsite reviewer will be assigned. The reviewer and the candidate will set a mutually convenient time for the review. Candidates must be available for brief questions during their site visit, but should be able to schedule their office time as usual.
The assignment of Diplomate reviewers is made solely by the ABBM administrative office with care to avoid assigning those in direct competition with the candidate or those with whom the candidate shares office practice space. The review must be successfully completed within four years of passage of the written and oral examinations. If the Patient Care Review is not passed the first time, the applicant may submit for another review after six months' time. The second and all subsequent site review attempts must fall into the four years following the passage of the oral and written exams. Candidates are strongly advised to begin the site review process at least six months prior to the end of their four year term to allow enough time for matching the Candidate with a reviewer and scheduling the site review. ABBM is not responsible for ensuring the completion of a site review for those Candidates who submit their questionnaire within six months of their four year deadline. No extensions will be given.
NOTE: The patient care reviewer will not be able to determine whether or not a candidate has passed the inspection. Rather, the reviewer's evaluation will be forwarded to the ABBM Board which will review the evaluation and then make a determination on whether or not the candidate has passed the review.
If deficiencies are found on an applicant's review, the applicant must reapply for a second (or subsequent) review after six months' time by submitting a written request for the additional review