On April 8th, the state of Oklahoma passed legislation preventing MOC from being a conditional requirement for state license, hospital privileges, reimbursement, or employment. This law was passed unanimously in both the Oklahoma State House and Senate legislative bodies. This is obviously welcomed news for ACG members in Oklahoma and could be the beginning of a ripple effect nationwide. The relevant section of the new OK law states:
“Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall be construed to require a physician to secure a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) as a condition of licensure, reimbursement, employment, or admitting privileges at a hospital in this state. For the purposes of this subsection “MOC” shall mean a continuing education program measuring core competencies in the practice of medicine and surgery and approved by a nationally-recognized accrediting organization.”
Fortunately, the unique function and structure of the ACG Board of Governors is a natural fit for these issues, allowing the College to be actively engaged at the state level. ACG will continue to update membership on this important issue.
Donald J. Kastens, MD, FACG
ACG Governor for Oklahoma