Program areas at ABMS
In partnership with its member boards, abms is a leader in setting rigorous standards for Board certification across 40 Medical Specialties and 89 Medical subspecialties. While member boards tailor these standards to their specific Specialties and subspecialties, abms supports the member boards in the overall implementation of the standards by providing learning opportunities and resources regarding evaluation, assessment and policy development relative to certification. These supports are critical to the abms community. At present, in the united states, abms member boards have certified more than 940,000 physicians and Medical specialists.
Abms convenes leaders and stakeholders from across the abms and greater health care communities to discuss current and emerging issues in today's health care system, seeking to understand ways in which abms and its member boards can address those issues to improve the quality of patient care.
Internationally, abms contracts with the singapore ministry of health to develop and maintain a program of physician assessment and certification for singapore's physicians and Medical specialists, as well as consults with other countries and communities across the world seeking to explore or establish physician certification programs.
In terms of advocacy, abms communicates information about and emphasizes the importance of Board certification to diplomates, Medical professionals, health care organizations, insurers, legislators and the general public. These communications provide these stakeholders and advocates with factual information about the importance of Board certification and the marker of trust signified by the credential. Certificationmatters.org, which is a public access abms website, also provides information about Board certification. Any individual may access this site to determine if a physician or Medical specialist is Board certified by an abms member Board. In terms of research and professional development, abms and its member boards actively study and support research into the impact that certification programs have on both the profession of medicine as well as improving patient safety and health care. Abms is also committed to physician professional development as part of its member boards' continuing certification programs, including continuing Medical education and quality and practice improvement activities.