Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2011 – To assist physicians treating patients with Chronic Kidney Disease, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) offers a new self-assessment tool to examine the care they provide patients with the disease. Chronic Kidney Disease is a progressive loss in renal function that occurs over a period of months or years. Twenty-six million adult Americans suffer from this chronic disease.
The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Practice Improvement Module (PIM) is a Web-based tool that guides physicians through the collection of patient data to identify gaps in Chronic Kidney Disease care and ultimately implement a quality improvement plan for their practice.
Nephrologists can use the Chronic Kidney Disease module to earn CME and meet the requirements of the ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. As part of MOC, ABIM requires board certified physicians to re-assess their medical knowledge and engage in quality improvement activities every 10 years.
“The Chronic Kidney Disease module is a valuable tool that will help nephrologists improve the quality of care they provide,” says Eric Holmboe, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the American Board of Internal Medicine. “The feedback the physicians receive will provide essential data that will enable them to examine and evaluate their care.”
Some of the symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease include fatigue, poor appetite and muscle cramping and an excessive need to urinate, especially at night. Two leading causes of Chronic Kidney Disease are diabetes and high blood pressure.
ABIM Board Certified Doctors Make a Difference
Internists and subspecialists who earn and maintain board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) differentiate themselves every day through their specialized knowledge and commitment to continual learning in service of their patients. Established as an independent nonprofit more than 80 years ago, ABIM continues to be driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world. Visit ABIM's blog to learn more and follow ABIM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties.