Also, why did ABEM choose to change to an annual fee?

The switch will allow physicians to avoid paying a one-time, large lump sum fee for the recertification exam (ConCert), which was $1,950. Instead, physicians will pay an annual fee that will approximate the same amount as physicians are now paying for continuing certification. And any physician who has paid more than $1,400 toward continuing certification activities will receive a check for the difference. (Refunds apply only to fees paid for successful completion of the ConCert Exam and Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment tests; they will not apply to fees paid for retaking exams or for late fees.) None of these changes will result in increased revenue for ABEM. In fact, the five-year certification cycle will result in considerably less continuing certification revenue over the next decade.

Increasingly, ABEM directors heard from physicians that they wanted an annual fee structure. Physicians are then able to budget a lesser amount on an annual basis in their continuing professional development allocations instead of a large amount at one time when taking the exam.

What is the latest news on MyEMCert?

MyEMCert development continues at a rapid pace. Participants for the pilot have been selected, and the pilot begins this fall.

ABEM recently posted MyEMCert presentation scenarios—the core content for the specialty—on our website. We’ve also been developing key advances, areas in which there has been incomplete adoption of certain practices into emergency care. One example is the selection of acute ischemic stroke patients for potential endovascular reperfusion therapy. Some key advances are fairly recent, some less so, but the unifying theme is that we need to integrate these evolving practices into clinical care.

What new technology or apps are being developed or considered by ABEM to allow continuous interaction with the ABEM certification process from mobile devices?

The ABEM public website was redesigned a couple of years ago and is fully responsive, so it can be viewed on a mobile device. The new ✓ ABEM Reqs tool on the public website has been added so that you can check your requirements based on the year your certification expires. Although several app ideas have been explored, right now our resources are focused on the development of the MyEMCert platform. We hope to look into those ideas again after MyEMCert has launched and been fine-tuned. ABEM is also developing a virtual oral exam to accommodate physicians who were scheduled to take the exam in 2020.