Introduction
Since ABCMO was founded in 2009, credentialing committees at over 142 state, local and Federal medical facilities accredited by The Joint Commission (See Note 1) have credentialed ABCMO Board Certified O.D.s as specialists in Medical Optometry. Later, when medical staff credentials are reviewed (usually every 2 years), these medical facilities contact ABCMO to verify if these specialists in Medical Optometry remain board certified. (See Note 2).
Verification Reports
Verification of Board Certification (VOC) requests sent to ABCMO will produce one of the following replies:
Status: Active – The O.D. is currently ABCMO Board Certified as a Specialist in Medical Optometry, remains in good standing, and is actively taking part in the ABCMO Maintenance of Certification program (MOC) to retain and update their advanced competence in Medical Optometry.
Status: Probation – The O.D. is currently ABCMO Board Certified as a Specialist in Medical Optometry but has yet to complete their current MOC cycle required for certification renewal. To remove Probation Status, an O.D. can request a grace period in which to complete their current MOC cycle. If approved, their Probation Status reverts to Active Status. (But, see Revoked Status.)
Status: Retired – The O.D. was Board Certified by ABCMO but requested this change in status due to upcoming/current retirement.
Status: Revoked – The O.D., once certified by ABCMO, has had their Board Certification revoked by ABCMO after failing for three or more consecutive years to enroll in and complete the current MOC program and/or for other nonprofessional conduct. To be eligible for recertification, the O.D. must retake and pass the current NBEO Advanced Competence in Medical Optometry (ACMO) exam and enroll in, and participate in, the ABCMO MOC program.
Status: Never Certified – The O.D. has never been ABCMO Board Certified as a specialist in Medical Optometry.
Additional Notes
1) The “Joint Commission”, an independent, non-profit agency that is the Nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care, accredits over 22,000 hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers and is considered the accreditation “Gold Standard.” More information can be found at https://www.jointcommission.org
2) In addition to Joint Commission-accredited medical organizations, some private/group eye care practices, and schools of optometry and medicine that have ABCMO certified staff optometrists, contact ABCMO for verifications of ABCMO Board Certification.
3) ABCMO requires a board certified O.D. to maintain an active and current State License to Practice Optometry holding the highest grade of medical privileges granted by their State License of record. In addition, ABCMO requires the O.D. licensed by that State to complete and pass the full number of CE course hours required for its license renewals by attending only CE courses significantly related to the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions affecting the human visual system.
Written evidence of having attended and completed/passed such CE courses must be submitted to ABCMO to meet its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements. (Many State Licensing Boards have certain specified mandatory CE course hours that must be taken by those holding expanded licenses that may, or may not be related to medical related vision problems. In such states, MOC requires all subsequent CE course hours taken to reach the number of CE hours for state re-licensure be solely CE courses featuring diagnosis and treatment of medically related problems of the human visual system. The O.D. is free to take other, additional types of course hours but need only submit to ABCMO those related to medical optometry and taken to reach the required total number of course CE hours.)
Request Verification of Certification Online
*Important – ABCMO only verifies O.D.s with a Specialty in Medical Optometry. ABCMO does not provide verification for any other type of optometric (or medical) certification or licensure.
More Information
If you do not receive a Verification Report within a few days, please check your SPAM folder, add info@abcmo.org to your email whitelist and then contact us.
Dr. Kenneth Myers
President, ABCMO
info@abcmo.org