ABMS Assembly Votes in Favor of Three-Year Initiative to Enhance Public Trust in the Board Certificati...( EVANSTON Ill. May 19 -- The Amer...),Health

EVANSTON, Ill., May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the not-for-profit organization that oversees physician certification in the United States through its 24 Member Boards, announced today approval of a new initiative designed for the public to enhance physician performance assessment. Called the ABMS 2008-2011 Enhanced Public Trust Initiative, its goal is to enhance the ABMS Board Enterprise's role as a trusted private sector agent when it comes to physician accountability and to expand resource offerings for the public's need.

For the past 75 years, ABMS and its Member Boards have been a leading and trusted resource for consumers and healthcare professionals seeking information on physician qualifications. Today the need for reliable information is even greater than ever as the quest to improve the quality and efficiency of medical care in the United States has become paramount.

"Consumers are taking a more active role in their own healthcare decisions and are demanding greater transparency, which is a good thing," said Kevin B. Weiss, MD, ABMS president and CEO. "ABMS is in a prime position to be a leading voice for physician accountability in the quality movement, but we cannot do so without first assuring the public of our renewed commitment to ensuring quality of care. To meet consumers' expectations, ABMS and its Member Boards will work together to attain the next phase of healthcare leadership with the public's interest as our foremost concern."

To launch the initiative, two task forces will be established, one to examine how ABMS' governance can be more responsive to the need for public transparency in physician accountability. A second task force made up of public and medical professional members will convene to guide the design and implementation of new program initiatives that will strengthen ABMS' offerings as a trusted public agent. The task force will broadly focus on a number
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