COVID-19 Presents an Urgency for Hospital Groups and Other Healthcare Providers to Update Medical Staff Bylaws

Medical staff bylaws provide rules under which organizations govern their operational affairs. Sometimes, however, bylaws are written in such a way that they hinder rather than promote the assurance of quality standards. To avoid such situations, organizations often form review committees that periodically review bylaws to identify rules that are no longer relevant or helpful.

Consider how the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed hiring practices for some hospital groups. Faced with a shortage of qualified physicians to treat COVID-19 patients, hospitals are turning to retired physicians for help, and some organizations are even granting exceptions to medical students by temporarily waiving medical license and board certification requirements. Unfortunately, some organizations still maintain bylaws that recognize physicians certified by particular certification bodies only.

At the American Board of Physician Specialties^® (ABPS), we certify qualified physicians in a range of medical specialties. Our strict eligibility requirements and psychometrically evaluated certification exams ensure that every specialist certified by one of our Member Boards has the expertise to deliver nothing less than world-class medical care. Our Diplomates practice at some of the most respected institutions in North America and are considered leaders in their chosen field.

If the goal of bylaws is to recruit the most qualified candidates, then updating rules to include ABPS-certified specialists makes sense. It would effectively give patients who are now in dire need access to the expert medical care that our accomplished Diplomates can provide.

Health experts predict that COVID-19 disruptions may continue for several months, and that, sadly, the health of many more people will be affected. Even as social restrictions ease in the coming months, new cases will arise. With healthcare systems under stress, now is the ideal time for hospital leaders to amend their medical staff bylaws to ensure that they have the most qualified physicians on staff.

For more information about the ABPS and our comprehensively skilled Diplomates, contact us today.

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Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

With declining access for maternity care amid rising maternal mortality, ABPS and their Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics has been essential for me and many of my colleagues in getting privileges and thereby creating local access for mothers and their children.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

John B. Waits, MD

Family Medicine Obstetrics

Board certification through the American Board of Physician Specialties has served to substantiate my interest and additional training in several fields of medicine including Internal Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Administrative Medicine. As a result, I have been able to serve my community in clinical, disaster response, and administrative medicine roles. Through the ABPS, I have become recognized as a leader in my various fields of interest.

Spencer Price MD, MPH, MBA

Administrative Medicine

In this era, when continuous updated medical knowledge means so much to you, when quality of emergency care matters most to you ,when you need to excel in your medical career to continue providing exceptional service to your critically ill patients, please consider board certification with the Boad of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). Where your knowledge & expertise translates to credentialing & certification with wider approval & recognition every day at many fronts. We Welcome you to join our team for a brighter future of our emergency healthcare where dedication to profession relies not solely on clinical practice but also on sound academic certification.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

Ashraf A. Gerges, MD, FAAEP

Emergency Medicine

Board certification in Orthopedic Surgery through the American Board of Physician Specialties validated my training and surgical experience through a process that was both rigorous and respectful of real-world practice. ABPS recognizes clinical competence, not just credentials, and that sets it apart.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS

Orthopedic Surgery

The American Board of Physician Specialties is a forward- thinking organization that focuses on where Medicine is going, not just where it has been. Traditional Certification Boards like Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Dermatology are represented as are Integrative Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Family Medicine-Obstetrics. Physicians appreciate the ability to showcase their skills and knowledge through Board Certification, and this organization allows excellent physicians the ability to bring their skills to patients. The dedication and commitment of this organization and its volunteers will ensure ongoing distinction and commitment for decades to come.

Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD

Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD

Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD

Dermatology

Serving as a member on the American board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) for many years and now serving as a Member at Large of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) has been an enriching and rewarding experience. The board’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and positive impact is truly inspiring. I am grateful to collaborate with such a dedicated and visionary group, and I am proud of the meaningful progress we continue to achieve together.

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP

Integrative Medicine

There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD

Internal Medicine

When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD

Integrative Medicine

On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD

Disaster Medicine

Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP

Emergency Medicine

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