Announcing the 2025 Membership Referral Drive Winner!
We are pleased to announce Melissa M. Buchner-Mehling, MD, CHCQM, CPHYADV, FABQAURP, is our newest Membership Referral Drive winner.
Our sincere thanks to Dr. Buchner-Mehling for her dedication to health care quality! Member participation and influence help ABQAURP foster the concepts of quality and safety throughout the health care system. Improved patient care is the result of our combined efforts.
Dr. Buchner-Mehling was ABQAURP-certified in Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) in 2016 and as an Advanced Physician Advisor (APA) in 2024. We are proud to have Dr. Buchner-Mehling and her colleagues as members!
You could be next! 2026 Membership Referral Drive!
Refer your colleagues! Your involvement in this year's membership development program plays an essential role in the vitality of your organization.
Click for details!
New & Updated Educational Resources:
Physician Advisor and Care Team Trivia presented by Melissa M. Buchner-Mehling, MD, CHCQM, CPHYADV, FABQAURP and Natasha L. Chen, MD, CHCQM, CPHYADV, FABQAURP, is a 1-hour trivia-style video course that engages participants in an interactive review of key physician advisor and care team concepts. Through thought provoking trivia questions, learners will explore Medicare beneficiary notices, appropriate inpatient and outpatient level-of-care determinations, and best practices for documentation and billing. The course also clarifies the essential roles and responsibilities of physician advisors within the health care team. This course was recorded live at ABQAURP's 2025 Annual Conference.The Patient Safety Certificate Course is an interactive multimedia certificate course comprised of three course modules. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Patient Safety Certificate.
The Patient Safety Certificate Course is an interactive multimedia certificate course comprised of three course modules. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Patient Safety Certificate.
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Module 1 discusses the relative risk for harm to patients in the health care system.
- Module 2 focuses on how health care organizations can both find and identify the risks that exist for their patients, as well as learn how to mitigate and prevent errors from occurring in the first place.
- Module 3 explores the framework for success in advancing patient safety in health care organizations.
Anatomy of an Artificial Intelligence Model and Why It Matters to the Quality Assurance Community is a video course presented by Allan S. Goldberg, DPM, CHCQM, FABQAURP, D.ABFAS, FAPWCA, CCHP. Dr. Goldberg examines representative artificial intelligence models and their expanding role in medical decision making. Learners will explore the expected benefits, challenges, and inherent limitations of applying artificial intelligence in clinical and scientific contexts. The course also focuses on how quality assurance professionals can leverage an understanding of artificial intelligence models to critically evaluate, contextualize, and interpret artificial intelligence-enhanced medical decision making to support safe, effective, and accountable care delivery.
NTOCC Lunch N' Learn Complimentary Recorded Webinars – Available in ABQAURP's Center for Continuing Education!
The State of Transitions of Care in 2026
Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN
Executive Director, National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC)
This 1-hour recorded webinar explores key insights from The State of Transitions of Care: Findings from the 2025 NTOCC National Summit. Learn how care teams are adapting to support patients beyond traditional settings, gain a preview of CMS care management models launching in 2025–2026, and understand why stronger alignment across healthcare systems, consumers, payers, and policymakers is critical to improving outcomes and ensuring seamless transitions of care.
Not New, Just Newly Noticed: Social Work’s Essential Role in Interdisciplinary Teams and Transitions of Care
Raine Arndt-Couch, DSW, JD, LCSW, CCM, FCM
Founder & Principal Consultant, Responsive Advocacy & Consulting, LLC
This 1-hour recorded webinar explores the longstanding contributions of social work in health care and highlights its continued importance in modern, team-based care. This course examines how emerging frameworks, such as social drivers of health and health-related social needs, align with core social work principles to support more person-centered transition planning. Through practical, case-based examples, participants will gain strategies for applying a social work-informed, interdisciplinary approach to identify risks, enhance collaboration, and promote safer, more effective transitions of care.
The Relay Podcast, Episode 9:
Discussing the rapidly evolving role of the physician advisor, certification, and the impact on health care.
Listen to The Relay podcast and hear host Val Emmons discuss with Natasha L. Chen, MD, CHCQM, CPHYADV, FABQUARP, and Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN, the rapidly evolving role of the physician advisor and its growing impact on quality, utilization management, patient advocacy, and transitions of care. From reducing readmissions and improving discharge planning to navigating denials, documentation, compliance, and value-based care, this conversation reveals the behind-the-scenes work shaping patient outcomes across the healthcare continuum.
Registration is open! Explore innovative, evidence-based strategies that enhance communication, support compliance, leverage technology, and elevate performance across the continuum of care.
Reserve your hotel room at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort online or by calling (727) 595-1611. Identify yourself as an attendee to receive our special room rate of $229 per night. Rooms are limited and reservations must be made by September 1, 2026.
View Our Conference Exhibitors!
2026 Exhibit and Sponsorship Opportunities from ABQAURP!
ABQAURP's Annual Conference highlights the latest trends in health care quality and patient safety. Our annual event has become the preeminent conference to network with interdisciplinary health care professionals.
Don't miss this opportunity for your organization to demonstrate the value of your products and services to health care quality leaders.
CHCQM Recertification Reminder:
Pay your dues and complete a minimum of 8 credit hours of ABQAURP-approved, HCQM-focused content, per 2-year recertification cycle*. Please note your sub-specialty certifications are renewed when your CHCQM recertification is completed.
CPHYADV Recertification Reminder:
Pay your dues and complete a minimum of 20 credit hours of ABQAURP-approved, Physician Advisor-focused content, per 2-year recertification cycle*.
If a Diplomate has achieved both CHCQM and CPHYADV credentials, credit hours earned may be applied to both recertification requirements, as applicable to the content area* and recertification cycles of each credential.
Accepting Applications for the 2026 Board Certification Exams!
The Advanced Physician Advisor Board Certification (CPHYADV) validates expertise in the physician advisor body of knowledge. The exam will test knowledge in areas such as utilization, clinical documentation integrity, federal and state regulations, coding and billing standards, medical necessity compliance, denials and appeals, length of stay criteria, status determination, and other areas.
New! Advanced Physician Advisor Core Body of Knowledge (APA CBK) online course is designed to provide an educational foundation for physician advisors and interprofessional health care team members involved in utilization management, care coordination, quality improvement, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.
The Health Care Quality & Management (CHCQM) credential is the standard for excellence and is the premier board certification certifying professionals in the skills required to drive high quality care decisions. Certification distinguishes expertise in safety, quality, and effective care, and is intended for physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals.
The 2026 edition of the HCQM: A Review of the Core Body of Knowledge (HCQM CBK) is now available! Prepare to become a quality leader or refresh your knowledge on the key concepts and elements of HCQM, a primer for the HCQM Board Certification Exam.
Join ABQAURP as a Professional Member and be part of the advancement of health care quality and patient safety. Membership is open to physicians, nurses, and all members of the interprofessional health care team.
Professional Membership connects you with career resources, continuing education, and networking opportunities.
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