Philadelphia, PA, November 13, 2007 – The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has launched a new website – www.abim.org – that will provide internists and subspecialists with fast, easy access to information about Certification, maintaining their certification, and improving their practice performance. Health plans, policy makers, residents, consumers and other site visitors will be able to find important information about board certification and how it can drive quality.
“We recognized the need for physicians to quickly and securely access information on our site regarding Certification and Maintenance of Certification policies and procedures, and we have improved the site to meet their needs,” said Christine K. Cassel, MD, ABIM’s President and CEO. “The new site also provides important information for other audiences, including health plans, hospitals and consumers, who want to be sure their physicians have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care.”
Among the new features of the site:
- Physicians have a dedicated “Physician Login” tool, allowing registered users fast access to their individual home page detailing where they are in the Certification and Maintenance of Certification process. In addition, they have a new “search by specialty” feature, providing relevant links for their area of practice.
- Consumers can find out if their physician is certified and learn how board certification and Maintenance of Certification impact patient care.
- Health systems, hospitals and policy makers can find information on the importance of board certification, and how to work with ABIM to engage physicians in quality improvement.
As of March 2007, more than 200,000 physicians are ABIM certified – about one in three practicing physicians. In 1990, internal medicine certification became time limited, and certified internists are required to renew their certification every 10 years.