Online Verification of Physician Board Certification Helps Simplify and Facilitate the Process of Granting, Maintaining Hospital Privileges

Hospital PrivilegesThe verification of physician board certification credentials no longer is a clerical roadblock to the granting of hospital privileges, or to maintaining those privileges. Information that once might have required weeks for an administrator to check now is available quickly and easily online, usually through dedicated portals found on the websites of the major multi-specialty board certification bodies. Neither the general public nor hospital officials need ever feel dissuaded from checking a physician’s certification credentials simply because of inconvenience.

Board Certification Is a Mark of Talent, Dedication, and Skill

Why is accurate, expeditious verification of physician board certification important for hospital officials? Because many hospital credentialing bodies include board certification as an eligibility requirement for staff membership and/or hospital privileges. Organizations that rate the quality of hospitals often report the percentage of board certified staff members as evidence of superior quality. This information also is sometimes used as part of a marketing campaign or in advertising. The more important it has become over the years to hire and retain board certified physicians, the more vital it is to have ready access to accurate, updated data about who is board certified.

Verifying a Physician’s Board Certification Status With the ABPS Is Easy

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) offers credentialing officials a simple and extremely accessible Online Verification Database for the purposes of quickly acquiring primary sourced verification of a physician’s board certification credentials. This system is useful for verification the credentials of applicants, as well as for checking the certification status of current physician employees. The first time you visit the database, you’ll be required to create a user account for your organization. On future visits, however, you’ll need to enter only your username and password to log in. Once inside the database, you can search for physicians using last name, first name, and UPIN (unique physician identification number). A limited amount of physician information will be available before you purchase the profile to help you confirm that you have found the correct physician. Each full profile costs $40 and will be billed to the credit card associated with the user account.

Patients Have a Way of Confirming a Physician’s Certification

In addition, the ABPS maintains a Public Confirmation Database accessible free of charge by members of the general public who wish to confirm that a particular physician has achieved and maintains board certification in a specialty or specialties. Public users receive a scaled-down version of the in-depth Certification Verification Profile available to hospital administrators and other credentialing officials.

For more information about the ABPS verification process, visit the Online Verification Database or contact the ABPS directly. The ABPS is the official board certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.

 

 

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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
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
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 I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine