What Hospital Administrators Need to Know About Physician Choice for Board Certification

When making staffing decisions, it is incumbent on hospital administrators to ensure that they have the best candidate pool available. One of the most trusted indicators of a physician’s abilities is the successful completion of a board certification program. Currently, in the United States there are three primary, multi-specialty physician certifying organizations – the AMA, AOA, and ABPS – and each organization provides the exact same standard of board certification. Diplomates of each group have met the same baseline of eligibility requirements and have successfully demonstrated a mastery of the core concepts and competencies that define their specialty area.

Board Certification Is a Verifiable Indicator of a Physician’s Expertise

Choosing to hire a board-certified physician is a savvy decision because, in order to become board certified, the physician must show demonstrable firsthand experience in the specialty as well as successful completion of a standardized examination that tests fundamental knowledge of the field. Board-certified physicians are also required to stay focused on the trends in the specialty they practice and commit to continuing medical education (CME) to ensure they remain qualified for periodic re-certification. These requirements ensure that board-certified physicians remain eminently qualified in their field even as medical technology and best practices are rapidly changing.

Yet, while each physician-certifying organization offers the same standard for board certification, there are differences among the three that hospital administrators should understand. When a physician candidate begins to pursue board certification, he or she has the opportunity to partner with the organization that is most in line with their values and offers the benefits that resonate with the candidate most highly. For instance, at the American Board of Physician Specialties^® (ABPS), we have built a reputation for giving our Diplomates a voice, and our team works tirelessly with hospital administrators across the country to ensure that our physicians get every opportunity for professional advancement. We also work with legislators and other decision-makers to ensure that our community is well represented.

What Differentiates the ABPS From Other Certification Boards

Of the three primary multi-specialty physician certifying bodies, the ABPS is the smallest, which allows us to be more responsive to each individual Diplomate and offer increased opportunities to seek leadership opportunities and involvement in the process.

Our Diplomates are also encouraged to share key learnings and assume leadership roles in their areas of expertise to help the medical field grow as a whole. We also offer board certification in a number of specialties that other certifying organizations currently don’t, including administrative medicine, urgent care medicine, disaster medicine, and integrative medicine. We also offer career emergency medicine physicians a unique opportunity for board certification. For example, physicians who have extensive experience working in emergency departments, but who completed their residencies in a primary care field, can earn board certification in emergency medicine through the ABPS without needing to complete an additional residency.

The ABPS Offers a Pragmatic Approach to Board Certification

At the ABPS, our non-discriminatory and pragmatic approach to board certification has endured since our founding in 1952, and today the ABPS remains committed to helping physicians gain personal and professional advancement while meeting increasing demands for patient care. Our Diplomates practice throughout the United States, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico, and are widely considered to be leaders in their fields. Top medical entities and professional organizations have updated their bylaws, policies, and standards to include the ABPS. And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Veterans’ Health Administration, and the United States Armed Forces under the GI Bill are just a few of the federal organizations that recognize ABPS certifications.

If you are a hospital administrator and you are interested in learning more about our organization, our eligibility requirements, and the advantages to hiring ABPS Diplomates, contact us today. The ABPS is the official certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.^®