ABMS Names Recipient of 2019 Distinguished Service Award

CHICAGO, Sept. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), a leading organization that oversees physician board certification and continuing certification in the United States, presented its 2019 Distinguished Service Award to the Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission (Commission).

Created in 1986, this award recognizes individuals for their extraordinary contributions to the medical specialty certification process. Commission Co-Chairs Christopher Colenda, MD, MPH, and William J. Scanlon, PhD, accepted the award at the ABMS Conference 2019 held September 23-25 in Chicago on behalf of the following members:

• Roxie M. Albrecht, MD, FACS, FCCM
• Jann T. Balmer, RN, PhD
• Carol D. Berkowitz, MD, FAAP, FACEP
• Haywood L. Brown, MD
• Craig M. Campbell, MD, FRCPC 
• Davoren Chick, MD, FACP
• Carol Cronin, MSG, MSW
• Charles Cutler, MD, MACP
• Patricia (Patti) Davis
• Claudia M. Espinosa, MD, MSC, FAAP
• Geoffrey M. Fleming, MD
• Nitika A. Gupta, MBBS, DCH, DNB, MRCPCH
• Ole-Petter R. Hamnvik, MBBCh, BAO, MMSc
• Elspeth J. R. Hill, MD, PhD
• Ronald B. Hirschl, MD
• Paul E. Johnson, MD, FACS
• Bruce A. Leff, MD
• Colonel Michael R. Nelson, MD, PhD
• Donald J. Palmisano Jr., JD
• Earl J. Reisdorff, MD
• Andrea M. Russo, MD, FACC, FHRS
• Catherine M. Rydell, CAE
• Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
• David A. Swankin, JD
• George D. Wendel Jr., MD

The Commission members were responsible for assessing the status of continuing board certification and making recommendations to transform the current process to a system that demonstrates the profession's commitment to professional self-regulation; offers a consistent and clear understanding of continuing certification; and establishes a meaningful, relevant, and valuable program that meets the highest standard of quality patient care. Representing a diverse group of stakeholder communities, the independent Commission released a final report in February 2019. The report supports and reinforces the important role that continuing certification plays in today's health care system and offers recommendations to improve its value to all stakeholders.

"ABMS and its Member Boards greatly appreciate the Commission members' collective dedication and thoughtful approach to their work. It is obvious they were very purposeful in creating recommendations that recognize the important role that continuing certification has regarding professional self-regulation and improving patient care," stated ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer Richard E. Hawkins, MD. "We wanted to formally recognize their service in creating recommendations of significant importance that are assisting ABMS and its 24 Member Boards in establishing a meaningful and relevant continuing certification program that brings value to a physician's practice, patients, and others that rely on our certificate as a trusted credential."

"On behalf of the entire Commission, we thank ABMS and the Member Boards for recognizing our work and commitment to improving the continuing certification process," Dr. Colenda said. "It was a pleasure to work with the talented and dedicated members of the Commission, who I know are equally honored by the presentation of this award." Dr. Scanlon added, "We are very proud of the Commission's accomplishment and in presenting ABMS and its Member Boards sound recommendations that will increase the value of continuing certification to physicians and patients alike."

About ABMS
Established in 1933, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the leading not-for-profit organization overseeing physician certification in the United States. ABMS establishes the standards its 24 Member Boards use to develop and implement educational and professional evaluation, assessment, and certification of physician specialists, helping to improve the quality of care to the patients, families and communities we serve. More than 880,000 physicians are certified in one or more of the approved 40 specialties and 87 subspecialties offered by the ABMS Member Boards.  For more information about ABMS, visit abms.org or call (312) 436-2600.

SOURCE American Board of Medical Specialties

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