ABMS Launches New Online Tool To Educate Patients On The Value Of Having A Board-Certified Doctor

CHICAGO, /PRNewswire/ -- The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the leading not-for-profit organization overseeing physician certification in the United States, has launched a new and improved Certification Matters website (CertificationMatters.org) for patients and their loved ones to learn about Board Certification and its importance to quality care. The site also provides a free service for patients to check if a doctor is Board Certified by an ABMS Member Board.

Visitors to CertificationMatters.org will be greeted with a completely new look and site navigation that is easier to use. In addition, the new site is mobile friendly, so patients can now confirm certification on any preferred device from a desktop to their smart phone.

New features include:

• Simplified search tool to check if a doctor is Board Certified by an ABMS Member Board
• Available on any device from desktop to smart phone
• Robust, cross-linked FAQs and screen tips to help users find the information they need
• Log-in is no longer required

Information about how doctors earn board certification and why the credential matters can be found on the site. Additional resources include links to leading health care and consumer advocacy organizations. The site is designed to confirm a doctor’s certification status, and visitors begin their search with the name of each doctor they wish to look up.

“Choosing a doctor is an extremely important decision that you will make regarding your health care,” stated ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer Richard E. Hawkins, MD. “Today’s patients have a greater expectation for quality. This website provides a valuable service, allowing patients to be certain the physician they are considering is, in fact, Board Certified in a specific area of expertise. Our original site has hundreds of thousands of visitors per year, and is an indication that Board Certification is an important consideration for patients when researching a doctor.”

ABMS Board Certification is a voluntary specialty credential beyond state licensure that demonstrates a doctor’s proficiency in a particular specialty area of medicine. Additionally, the credential is recognized as the premier standard and assessment system for the designation of specialty and subspecialty competence in medical and surgical disciplines by hospitals, health insurance plans, quality improvement experts and patients.

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 85 subspecialties offered by the ABMS Member Boards. For more information about ABMS, visit abms.org or call (312) 436-2600.

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SOURCE American Board of Medical Specialties