The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) announced on July 12, 2023, that the hospital medicine examination will no longer be offered as a separate Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine designation after 2023. ABIM has been the administering board for the Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine designation since 2010 and ABFM has been co-sponsor in the examination content and designation requirements.
October 2023 is the final administration of the examination. ABFM will honor all currently held Hospital Medicine designations, as well as those obtained/maintained in 2023, through their ten-year cycles as promised (provided Family Medicine certification is continuously maintained). Due to the discontinuation of the Hospital Medicine exam after 2023, there will no longer be an option to continue the designation for additional cycles. ABFM will continue to support the needs of family physicians in the hospital setting in their certification through self-assessment activities and performance improvement opportunities.
Designation of Focused Practice
The Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine is offered in conjunction with the American Board of Internal Medicine. This designation, which became available to qualifying ABFM physicians in 2009, is designed to recognize excellence among those Diplomates whose practice emphasize care for patients primarily in a hospital setting.
How do I Obtain My Initial Designation of Focused Practice in hospital medicine?
If you are interested in seeking initial Designation in Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine, you will need to meet the following requirements to sit for the examination and gain designation status.
- Current and continuous ABFM Family Medicine Certification
- Verification of at least three years of unsupervised hospital medicine practice experience that fully meets the requirements of one of the qualifying pathways:
- Direct Patient Care Pathway (i.e., full-time hospital practice):
- Completion of a minimum of 1,000 hospital patient encounters (limited to one encounter per patient per day) per year in the last three years, or 3,000 encounters in the last three years
- Submission of Hospital Medicine Verification Form signed by Supervisor at hospital(s) to attest to patient encounters
- Clinical/Systems Pathway (i.e., full-time hospital medicine professional activity with part-time hospital practice):
- Completion of a minimum of 250 hospital patient encounters (limited to one encounter per patient per day) per year in the last 3 years, or 750 encounters in the last three years
- at least 75% of patient encounters must comprise of total clinical activity and
- at least 50% of the remaining non-clinical professional time must be directed toward improving the care of hospitalized patients
- Completion of a minimum of 250 hospital patient encounters (limited to one encounter per patient per day) per year in the last 3 years, or 750 encounters in the last three years
- Direct Patient Care Pathway (i.e., full-time hospital practice):
- Attestation by the Diplomate and a senior hospital officer at the practicing hospital verifying active clinical practice in the hospital setting, including the required patient encounters, within a given time period
- Completion of six hospital medicine related activities in the last 10 years, of which four activities must have been completed in the last three years and one must have been a Performance Improvement (PI) activity, to see a full list of approved Hospital Medicine Activities, log into your MyABFM Portfolio
- Submission of an online application with appropriate fee
- Achieve a passing score on the Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Examination
How Do I Maintain My Designation of Focused Practice in hospital medicine?
The Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine is 10 years in duration. If you are interested in maintaining your Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine, you will need to meet the following requirements to sit for the Designation of Focused Practice Hospital Medicine Examination and maintain designation status.
- Current and continuous ABFM Family Medicine Certification
- Submission of an online application with appropriate fee
- Achieve a passing score on the Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Examination
Once you are successful on the Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Examination, you will enter into a new period of designation.
My Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine has Lapsed
If you have previously held Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine and it has lapsed, you can still regain designation. If you meet the requirements below, you may regain designation no matter how long it has been lapsed.
- Current and continuous ABFM Family Medicine Certification
- Submission of an online application with appropriate fee
- Achieve a passing score on the Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Examination
How Do I Get Started?
If you are interested in obtaining, maintaining, or regaining your Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine you may access the online application for the Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Examination under "Added Qualifications" in your MyABFM Portfolio.
For additional information, please contact Debbie Medley at [email protected] or 859-538-7197.
