American Board of Physician Specialties
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), the official certifying body for the American Association of Physician Specialists (AAPS) is a non-profit umbrella organization for eleven medical specialty boards that certifies and re-certifies physicians in fourteen medical specialties in the United States and Canada. The ABPS is one of three organizations overseeing Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) certification in the United States. The ABPS assists its Member Boards in developing and implementing educational and professional standards to evaluate and certify physician specialists.
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[edit] History
The ABPS was founded in 1950 by Dr. E.O. Martin and incorporated in 1952. ABPS was established to provide a clinically recognized structure for board certification and recertification of qualified physicians who have either Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree training plus advanced training one of the AAPS affiliated medical specialties. Since 1984, AAPS has provided a headquarters for medical specialty boards of certification, meeting this essential need in the healthcare delivery system. In 2006, ABPS added its most recent medical specialty board on disaster medicine. Soon the ABPS will be announcing two new boards of certification, the American Board of Hospital Medicine (ABHM) and the American Board of Family Practice Obstetrics (ABFPO).
The membership of the ABPS consists of the chairperson of each of the nine autonomous boards of certification, three appointed Diplomates, two non-physician public members, and three ex-officio members from the American Association of Physician Specialists (AAPS) Board of Directors. ABPS is the first medical certification board in the United States to include active participation of public members. Public members also serve on the nine ABPS-affiliated boards of certification.
[edit] Recognition by State Medical Boards
Physicians certified by ABPS and licensed by the Medical Board of California are prohibited from using the term "board certified" unless they are also certified by an American Board of Medical Specialties board.
The relevant sections of California law were enacted in 1990 and are shown below. They can be found at[1]:
"(B) A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California may include a statement that he or she limits his or her practice to specific fields, but shall not include a statement that he or she is certified or eligible for certification by a private or public board or parent association, including, but not limited to, a multidisciplinary board or association, unless that board or association is (i) an American Board of Medical Specialties member board, (ii) a board or association with equivalent requirements approved by that physician and surgeon's licensing board, or (iii) a board or association with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved postgraduate training program that provides complete training in that specialty or subspecialty. A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) by the [[Medical Board of California]] who is certified by an organization other than a board or association referred to in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) shall not use the term "board certified" in reference to that certification, unless the physician and surgeon is also licensed under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1600) and the use of the term "board certified" in reference to that certification is in accordance with subparagraph (A). A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California who is certified by a board or association referred to in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) shall not use the term "board certified" unless the full name of the certifying board is also used and given comparable prominence with the term "board certified" in the statement. For purposes of this subparagraph, a "multidisciplinary board or association" means an educational certifying body that has a psychometrically valid testing process, as determined by the [[Medical Board of California]], for certifying medical doctors and other health care professionals that is based on the applicant's education, training, and experience. For purposes of the term "board certified," as used in this subparagraph, the terms "board" and "association" mean an organization that is an American Board of Medical Specialties member board, an organization with equivalent requirements approved by a physician and surgeon's licensing board, or an organization with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved postgraduate training program that provides complete training in a specialty or subspecialty. The Medical Board of California shall adopt regulations to establish and collect a reasonable fee from each board or association applying for recognition pursuant to this subparagraph. The fee shall not exceed the cost of administering this subparagraph. Notwithstanding Section 2 of Chapter 1660 of the Statutes of 1990, this subparagraph shall become operative July 1, 1993. However, an administrative agency or accrediting organization may take any action contemplated by this subparagraph relating to the establishment or approval of specialist requirements on and after January 1, 1991."
It also appears that certification by an ABPS member board is not sufficient to allow use of the term "board certified" by physicians licensed in the State of New York. However, interpreting the law in New York is more complex.
The definitions below are from the introductory material at the NY State Doctor Profile:[2]
"American Board of Medical Specialities (ABMS) - An organization of 24 medical specialty boards. Medical specialty boards can approve (certify) doctors who have had special training and taken an examination (see Board certification below). For more information, go to the ABMS Web site."
"American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - The American Osteopathic Association represents more than 47,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.), promotes public health, encourages scientific research, serves as the primary certifying body for D.O.s and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical schools and health care facilities."
"Board Certification - If a doctor is Board Certified, this means that he or she had graduated from medical school; completed residency (training in a hospital); trained under supervision in a specialty, and passed an exam given by a medical specialty board."
"Certify - To certify means to say something is true and correct. When a doctor is Board certified, it means he has met certain standards."
These definitions need to be read together with the decision of the New York Department of Health to revoke the medical license of Mark Charles Kaufman, MD.[3] Dr. Kaufman had testified as an expert witness in a medical malpractice case stating that he was board certified in family practice. In fact, although he was certified by the American Board of Certification in Family Practice[4], a member of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), he was not certified by the ABMS recognized American Board of Family Practice (now American Board of Family Medicine).
The final outcome of a legal action brought by the American Academy of Physician Specialists (AAPS) against the New York Department of Health (NY-DOH) is not yet available. AAPS is the parent of ABPS. The two attached news items regarding this case are from AAPS publications.
Bill S3964[5] introduced by Senator Suzi Oppenheimer [6]into the New York State Assembly in April 2009 appears to be an attempt at clarification.
"Title of Bill: An act to amend the education law, in relation to statements of specialist by a physician.
Text of Bill S3964:
State of New York In Senate April 7, 2009 Introduced by Sen. Oppenheimer– read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher education An ACT to amend the education law, in relation to statements of specialty by a physician The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: section 1. Section 6527 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows: 8. A licensed physician may include a statement that he or she limits his or her practice to specific fields, but may only include a statement that he or she is certified or eligible for certification by a private or public board or parent association if that board or association is an American Board of Medical Specialties member board or a member board the American Osteopathic Association, a board or assocation with equiv- alent requirements approved by that physician and surgeon’s licensing board, or a board or association with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved postgraduate training program that provides complete training in that specialty or subspecialty. S 2. this act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law. Justification: This bill is aimed at those physicians who have claimed to be “Board Certified” by so-called “boards” that require a large payment and send a diploma by return mail. It would help to eliminate bogus boards and provide truth in advertising protection for patients. California has enacted similar legislation."
[edit] Member boards
- Board of Certification in Anesthesiology
- American Board of Disaster Medicine
- Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine
- Board of Certification in Family Practice
- American Board of Family Practice Obstetrics
- Board of Certification in Geriatric Medicine
- American Board of Hospital Medicine
- Board of Certification in Internal Medicine
- Board of Certification in Orthopedic Surgery
- Board of Certification in Radiology
- Board of Certification in Surgery
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=bpc&group=00001-01000&file=650-657
- ^ http://nydoctorprofile.com/dictionary.jsp#certify
- ^ http://w3.health.state.ny.us/opmc/factions.nsf/cd901a6816701d94852568c0004e3fb7/726c71cbbaa6783485256a4a0047d9dc/$FILE/lc151257.pdf
- ^ http://www.abpsus.org/certification/family_practice/index.html
- ^ http://open.nysenate.gov/openleg/api/html/bill/S3964
- ^ http://suzi2008.com/bio.html
