Researchers studied some 3600 physicians in US to determine the associations between their performance scores on the American Board of Internal Medicine MOC examination and the subsequent quality of care received by Medicare patients.
They found that physicians scoring in the top quartile were more likely to perform processes of care for diabetes and mammography screening than those in the lowest quartile, but no significant difference in lipid testing of patients with cardiovascular disease. They concluded that the findings suggest that physician's cognitive skills are associated with higher rates of processes of care for Medicare patients.
In the accompanying editorial, the author said that there are several mehtodological limitations in this study, what is needed is a method for measuring physician performance reflective of higher cognitive abilities and processes.
Source: "Association Between Maintenance of Certification Examination Scores and Quality of Care for Medicare Beneficiaries". Archives of Internal Medicine. 2008;168(13):1396-1403 ( full text via Athens )
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