ABMS Launches New PSA About The Importance Of Board Certification When Choosing A Physician

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 23 Nov 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has launched a television public service announcement (PSA) campaign to educate Americans about the significance of physician board certification as an important credential to consider when selecting a physician.

The "Certification Matters: How to Choose a Doctor" PSA will be distributed as part of the "Spotlight On" series on national Public Television. The five-minute program is directed toward patient consumers encouraging them to do their homework when selecting a physician and include physician board certification as part of that research.

"While the specialization of medicine has brought better, more precise care, patients can often get overwhelmed when they need to choose a new healthcare provider," explained Stephen H. Miller, MD, MPH, President and CEO of ABMS. "We hope that this segment encourages viewers to take an active part in who administers their care by becoming educated about the importance of board certification."

The PSA is also available on the ABMS Web site, along with additional information about board certification and physician specialties. Visitors can find out free of charge if their doctor is certified by clicking on the "Is Your Doctor Certified?" link.

"Certification Matters: How to Choose a Doctor" is part of ABMS' ongoing campaign to educate the public on the purpose and value of certification by an ABMS Member Board as it relates to quality practice by certified specialists.

About Board Certification

As is the premier organization overseeing the certification of physician specialists in the United States, ABMS works closely with its 24 Member Boards to develop and implement specific standards for evaluating and certifying physician specialists in more than 130 specialties and subspecialties.

Board certification by an ABMS Member Board is considered the gold standard because of its unique physician-directed approach for assessing qualifications. Today, nearly 85 percent of licensed physicians in the United States are certified by an ABMS Member Board.

Certification by an ABMS Member Board is widely recognized by physicians, healthcare institutions, insurers and patients themselves as an essential tool to judge that a physician has the knowledge, experience and skills for providing quality healthcare within a given specialty. The ABMS Member Boards oversee the certification process for their particular specialty. A physician receives certification as a specialty medical practitioner after completing an accredited training program, undergoing an evaluation of his or her record by a panel of peer experts and passing a comprehensive examination given by an ABMS Member Board. Physicians meeting this set of requirements are awarded general certificates in the field represented by that Member Board. Physicians can also become certified in a subspecialty, a particular area within the specialty, which requires additional training and examination. Visit the ABMS Web site for more information about board certification and ABMS Maintenance of Certification™, a comprehensive program involving continuous professional assessment and development.

About ABMS

The American Board of Medical Specialties is the preeminent medical organization overseeing physician certification in the United States. It assists its 24 Member Boards in their efforts to develop and implement educational and professional standards for the evaluation and certification of physician specialists. ABMS Member Boards provide physician certification information to ABMS for its certification verification service programs. ABMS is recognized by the key healthcare credentialing accreditation entities as a primary equivalent source of board certification data for medical specialists. Patients can visit www.abms.org or call toll-free 1-866-ASK-ABMS to see if their physician is board certified by an ABMS Member Board. For more information about ABMS visit www.abms.org or call (847) 491-9091.

The 24 ABMS Member Boards include: American Board of Allergy and Immunology, American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, American Board of Dermatology, American Board of Emergency Medicine, American Board of Family Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Medical Genetics, American Board of Neurological Surgery, American Board of Nuclear Medicine, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Board of Ophthalmology, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology, American Board of Pathology, American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Plastic Surgery, American Board of Preventive Medicine, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, American Board of Radiology, American Board of Surgery, American Board of Thoracic Surgery and American Board of Urology.

American Board of Medical Specialties