ABMS Selects Kevin B. Weiss, MD, MPH, as New Preside...( EVANSTON Ill. Sept. 18 -- Americ...),Health

EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the pre-eminent entity overseeing the certification of physician specialists in the United States, announced at its Interim Assembly Meeting today that its Board of Directors has appointed Kevin B. Weiss, MD, MPH, as the organization's new president and chief executive officer. Weiss will take up his new duties Dec. 17, 2007, and will join ABMS' Board of Directors. He succeeds retiring president and CEO Stephen H. Miller, MD, MPH.

Weiss has devoted more than 20 years of his medical career to quality and access issues in primary care, conducting epidemiological and health services research projects related to guideline implementation, chronic care management, outcomes measurement and quality improvement, with a specific emphasis on asthma. He served on Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committees that developed the reports "Crossing the Quality Chasm," and "Identifying Priority Areas for Quality Improvement." Recognizing the importance of patient safety and quality of care in his community, Weiss also helped found the Chicago Patient Safety Forum and served as its first chairperson.

"Joining ABMS at this time is a tremendous opportunity," Weiss said. "I think that ABMS is one of the strongest potential levers for change in the medical profession as we work to improve healthcare quality, improve efficiency, and address the rising costs of care."

Weiss described several goals for his new role at the helm of ABMS. "My immediate goals will be to work with all 24 ABMS Member Boards to complete implementation of Maintenance of Certification ahead of schedule, because it is a critically important process of continuous professional development. I also want to open up ABMS and its boards to more input from public members, and to establish a new evaluation program for physicians based on demonstrating high proficiency standards."

ABMS Board of Directors Ch
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