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CONTENTS This program report highlights the progress made during 2021–2022. AAPS staff collaborates with outstanding physician leaders, volunteers and subject matter experts to move the organization forward. These efforts result in the advancement of ABPS Member Boards.
From the President’s Desk
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A Look Ahead
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Awards
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Thank You
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Governance & Staff
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F O L L OW A B P S O N S O C I A L M E D I A Have you followed us on social media? The ABPS has platforms on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to connect and educate with healthcare leaders, decision makers, physicians and patients. Connect with us to stay informed! @abps1960 @the_abps @abps @ABPS_AAPS
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NATIONAL INITIATIVE FUND What is NIF? The National Initiative Fund (NIF) was created to strategically advance awareness and recognition of ABPS Member Boards as a choice for physicians. NIF contributions enable the organization to advocate for ABPS Board Certifications with influential stakeholders, including the U.S. Congress, state legislators, state medical boards, hospital systems and health plans.
★NIF ACHIEVEMENTS★ ABPS is becoming a recognized option for physician board certification in the healthcare industry. This is the result of hospitals, health plans, online databases and communication platforms updating their policies and bylaws to include ABPS. These efforts are funded solely by donations from ABPS Diplomates and Members. Thank you to all those who support NIF.
Please seriously consider contributing to NIF to help strengthen our efforts on your behalf. www.aapsus.org
A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear ABPS Colleagues, I would like to start by expressing my gratitude and appreciation to all AAPS/ABPS Members and Diplomates who have made my time as President a true honor. It has been a pleasure to serve in this role and to see the positive progression of the organization. I would like to point out a few of the major highlights of the past year. Financial: During the COVID-19 pandemic, AAPS was able to strategically cut costs and maintain financial stability. A great example is the utilization of virtual meeting platforms, both for conducting board business and carrying out oral examinations. These platforms proved to be both economically effective for the organization and efficient for the examiners, candidates, and staff and as a result, are here to stay. New boards adhere to a rigorous development process that examines and vets the potential for need and financial viability, setting the new board up for success. Furthermore, the AAPS Board’s continued careful stewardship of our investments will protect our reserves necessary for the future of the organization. Strategic planning: During the past year, we have embarked on defining our next 5-year strategic plan, by evaluating the structure of the organization and finding opportunities to improve our already strong foundation. As we evolve, development is important to ensure that our growth continues and we build the tactics to support our future. Sustainability: An effort is underway to evaluate the sustainability of each Member Board of Certification. Such reports were provided individually to leadership of Member Boards for review and consideration at the winter board meetings. Engaging diplomates in the review of their Board has stimulated a prompt call to action. This activity is crucial to reviewing what steps our boards view as necessary to maintaining their vibrancy and who we are as a multispecialty physician board certifying organization. As we continue to attract new Diplomates to ABPS as a desired choice in board certification, we are seeking new leaders who will guide the organization into the future. Please make it your priority to get involved. Our organization depends on physician volunteers. This will lead us to further acknowledgment and respect in the healthcare community as a multispecialty physician board certifying organization.
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It is important to thank all AAPS/ABPS staff who have worked so diligently and effectively over the past year. They have done a tremendous job on pivoting to new methods to ensure the business of the organization is accomplished, while also furthering recognition and implementing new processes. As an ambassador of ABPS, I empower you to educate your healthcare network about the additional value ABPS can bring to your community. The shortage of physicians due to the current pandemic offers an opportunity to inform healthcare leaders and influencers in your system about the benefits of including qualified ABPS physicians. As a new presidential term begins, I encourage everyone to advocate for ABPS and your board certification. Thank you for your support this past year, and I look forward to the continued positive momentum in the years to come.
Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt, MD, FAAEP, FACEP
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A LOOK AHEAD Dear Fellow Diplomates & Members, Over the past several years, under the leadership of your Board of Directors, led by numerous talented and visionary Presidents, this organization has been reshaping its focus to be more responsive to your needs. Four years ago, the Board approved the Strategic Plan which placed the primary mission of the AAPS to serving you and providing our Diplomats with quality Board Certification. To focus our energy and your financial resources on primary concerns, the Board conducted an analysis of the administration and operations of the AAPS. After careful analysis of operational efficiency, we identified opportunities, implemented changes for increased organizational efficiency, and effectiveness while decreasing the cost of doing business. These changes are allowing us to shift resources to activities in the organization that will have a direct impact on you and your ability to continue the practice of high-quality medicine. Over the past four years, since the Strategic Plan was approved, we have not only reached most of our short-term goals but have achieved them in advance or exceeded them. In addition, the cost saving measures we have taken have enabled us to refocus our efforts where it belongs, which is on our external affairs and recognition services. We are continuing to implement the Strategic Plan which includes an analysis of our finances and the development of metrics to help us measure the cost of business and ensure greater accountability. The past two years have challenged our organization. By being nimble and with great leadership, we were able to transition quickly acquiring better technology that meets the needs of our Diplomates. With COVID challenging much of what we do, our Tampa leadership and team rose to the occasion and quickly moved to virtual Academy and Board of Certification meetings seamlessly. In addition, we successfully executed virtual exams for boards with oral testing. Many of these changes may have taken much longer in a larger organization. We look forward to finding a balance between having opportunities for our leaders and Diplomates to meet face-to-face and managing other business aspects of the ABPS through more efficient and cost-effective platforms. Our Strategic Planning Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Judy Smith is working to evaluate the relevance of the strategic plan for today’s environment. They are prioritizing and implementing strategies outlined in the plan to continue to meet our Diplomate’s needs in this fast-paced new world we live in. Some of these strategies include strengthening our internal resources to provide more support to our members in areas of recognition and credentialing. We are providing greater support to our Boards of Certification by having one staff member dedicated to Board needs. We are evaluating the relevance of
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our annual meeting and CME. Spearheaded by President Dr. Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt, we established an Academy to help identify and train future leaders. We are looking at the organizational structure to reduce redundancy, volunteer fatigue, and cost while allowing the leadership to focus time and resources on better supporting our Diplomates. My goals for this coming year are to continue to support the transformation of this organization so that we can become an organization focused on quality physician Board Certification that meets the needs of the 21st Century. We will do this by having a solid financial model, making changes based on data and sound business principles and by looking for new opportunities to meet the fast-changing medical environment. This new model will allow us to monitor changing needs such as Board Recertification and implement changes that are relevant and keep our Diplomates functioning at the highest levels of quality within their chosen specialties. The future of the ABPS will also depend on our Diplomates using their energy in the most efficient and impactful way to help our organization continue to provide quality certification, identify potential new Diplomates, and seek out opportunities to provide new Boards of Certification as the medical landscape and the needs of patients change. The success of this organization will be based on our ability to support you, and this can only be done by an organization that values your time, skills, money and your talent. I am proud to serve you as your President for this coming year, and I encourage you to continue to take pride in your Certification by sharing your journey with your colleagues.
Jerry A. Allison, MD, MSH, CPE, FAAEP
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ABPS FEATURED ON KevinMD Podcast AAPS CEO Jeff Morris, JD, and ABPS Diplomate Manny Konstantakos, MD, recently appeared on The Podcast by KevinMD to discuss the importance of physicians having options in board certification.
Integrative Medicine Taxonomy Code Approved The American Board of Integrative Medicine has successfully applied for an integrative medicine taxonomy code from the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC) for allopathic and osteopathic integrative physicians. The code was included in the January 1, 2022, release of changes to the NUCC code set and became effective April 1, 2022.
Kepro Recognizes ABPS Kepro recently updated their polices to accept ABPS board certified physicians. Kepro provides technology-enabled services for priority populations to help them remain in the home or community of their choice. They partner with government and private healthcare payers to maximize healthcare quality, improve accuracy, and increase efficiency.
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FEDERAL REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES Albeit COVID presented challenges to the external affairs team requiring a shift of focus, it allowed us to greatly advance our recognition and influencer strategies led by Mr. Jeff Morris, JD and our public affairs consultant, Monique Tapie. Their deep understanding of the certification landscape allowed them to build strong collaboration with one of the largest and most politically influential police unions and organizations in the country. Key boards are building a roadmap of the partnership to further build support of our boards of certification before influencers that can help to enact change. With federal legislators focusing on COVID, it presented our team with new opportunities to address barriers that have increased due to the ongoing monopoly’s discriminatory practices damaging patient access to care. Focus also increased before federal representatives with influence over the key departments and regulatory bodies to bring awareness to the monopoly’s activities within these entities that create greater barriers to access of physician care not only within private sector hospitals and insurers but those being placed before our servicemen and women that already suffer a great physician shortage within our military branches.
AAPS FINANCIAL UPDATE The financial results for AAPS for the year ending December 31, 2021, were record breaking! We ended the year with net income of approximately $790,000 and cash balance of $2,489,000. This performance was due to revenues greatly outweighing expenses. Revenues for the year ending 2021 of $3,239,000 while total expenses for the year came in at $2,449,000. These lowered expenses were the result of a virtual annual meeting and the first full year of cost containment strategies started over 3 years ago. Additionally, the revenues will be used to reinvest in our organization and Diplomates for increased recognition, growth and sustainability of Boards.
NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATION
ADDITIONAL STATE LEGISLATION
The team built a strong relationship with the State Health Chair and other key legislators wishing to combat the discriminatory language within the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact to be more inclusive. In addition, the work on this issue of Mr. Morris and Ms. Tapie culminated in Mr. Morris being a key witness to testify before multiple committee representatives on Barriers to Physician Access within New York State during COVID. This testimony has now become the driving force behind greater support of the ABPS and a much larger strategy and push to break down the monopoly.
During this year’s legislative session ABPS lobbied on 62 bills in 24 states. There were 27 bills that included ABMS and only one incorporated ABPS. Our national lobbyist, Linda Murphy, successfully killed 13 of these bills and prevented ABMS from being listed exclusively in law. ABPS was also able to successfully defeat the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact bill in Virginia. Currently, most of the other bills are still in the beginning phases of the legislative process.
2022 has now presented our team with greater opportunities to strengthen our organization and our boards of certification. Our dedicated team is passion is the driving force in the growth of the ABPS boards of certification, especially as they continue to build upon the foundation they have so strongly and successfully established.
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New Certification Programs Interventional Pain Management, which will be under the administration of the Board of Certification in Anesthesiology (BCA), has been in development since May 2021 and is anticipating their first examination administration in 2023. The Board of Certification in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, for primary care endoscopists who provide high-quality gastrointestinal endoscopy services primarily in rural and underserved areas, is the latest program to be approved for development. They will hold their job task analysis workshop in August 2022 and anticipate administering their first exam in 2024.
Recent Certification Updates Newly updated exam blueprints for Integrative Medicine and Family Medicine Obstetrics were administered to initial certification and recertification candidates in May 2022. The Family Medicine Obstetrics exam blueprint was evaluated and updated to offer a new certification pathway for family physicians who provide obstetrics care but do not perform cesarean deliveries and serves as the written exam component for certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics with Surgical Qualification. The Emergency Medicine Written Exam Committee kicked off their blueprint update with a job task analysis workshop in May 2022 and expect to administer their first examination utilizing the new blueprint in 2024.
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Doximity Now Recognizes ABPS Doximity, the largest community network of healthcare professionals in the country, now recognizes ABPS board certification. ABPS Diplomates now have their ABPS board certification/s included in their Doximity profile. ABPS uses Doximity to inform physicians of having a choice in certification opportunities.
ABPS Messaging on Doximity We’re expanding awareness of the APBS on Doximity. We ran 8 total announcements in 2021 that targeted a variety of specialties (CEO's/C-Suite Level Administrators, Anesthesiologists, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine Obstetrics, and Internal Medicine physicians). The announcements generated 6,511 unique impressions on the Doximity. Our program is continuing with Doximity in 2022.
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Building Brand Awareness ABPS representatives were excited to return to live in-person medical industry conferences again to further advance the organization’s brand by engaging with the healthcare leaders. We marketed ABPS at four (4) in-person events and one (1) virtual conference, creating additional awareness of choice in board certification.
VIRTUAL AAPS CME After the cancellation of the 2021 Annual Meeting, we pivoted to hold our annual CME program virtually for the first time to offer our members a safe and convenient way to earn AAPS CME credits. The program was very successful and allowed participants to earn up to 22 CME credits on-demand. We would like to thank our speakers for their adaptability and valuable educational contributions.
As our awareness grows, ABPS has an informational letter that explains how the medical industry has accepted the organization as a choice in board certification. We recommend you share this document with your decision-making leaders encouraging them to expand physician resources for their organization by updating their medical staff bylaws. For more information contact Lauren Henrichsen.
We continue to be hitting benchmarks with website traffic to the ABPS website (www.abpsus.org). We would like to thank all physicians who have participated in a monthly article/topic that has helped drive traffic to the website.
Direct traffic is the highest traffic channel, making up 66% of all sessions.
Organic traffic is the 2nd highest channel which accounts for 31% of the traffic or times that users have visited the site from a search engine like Google.
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New BCFMO Pathway Now Offered To better serve family physicians practicing obstetrics in the United States, the Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics (BCFMO) has begun offering a new non-surgical path (Family Medicine Obstetrics). This is being offered in addition to its surgical path for certification (Family Medicine Obstetrics with Surgical Qualification). The non-surgical path to certification requires a computer based written test. The surgical path for certification requires the written test and an additional oral examination covering five case studies. For those interested in applying under the surgical path, the BCFMO provides recognition to fellowships, or residency programs, with substantial and identifiable obstetrics training. Graduates of recognized programs meet one of the eligibility requirements to apply for board certification in family medicine obstetrics. As of today, the BCFMO recognizes 49 programs, 5 of which were approved in the last year.
AAEP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM UPDATE The American Academy of Emergency Physicians (AAEP) are actively seeking primary care emergency medicine fellowships amidst the ongoing challenges surrounding the coronavirus. The AAEP recognizes specific fellowships that have achieved a level of training for physicians to demonstrate competency and mastery of the specialty. Today, the AAEP recognizes 13 programs and continues to receive inquiries regarding establishment of programs and recognition. Over the past year, we have successfully conducted both virtual and hybrid inspections using Zoom. In response to the program directors request and industry standard, we updated the re-inspection timeline from every 2 years to every 3 years. In 2021, the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine offered both a spring and fall oral exam resulting in 46% of the new EM Diplomates being Fellows of recognized programs. In addition to last year’s new Diplomates, 56% of the August 2022 written exam candidates are Fellows. Completion of an AAEP recognized fellowship is one of the ways for physicians to become eligible to apply for the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM) exam.
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AWARD RECIPIENTS E. O. Martin Award
Madonna S. Ringswald, DO, FAAIM — 2020
David G.C. McCann, MD, Devotion Award
Scott G. Barnes, DO, FAAIM
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Terrance Lee Baker, MD, MS, FAAEP, FAAIM — 202 1
Steven G. Carin, Jr. “Giddy-up” Leadership Award
Madonna S. Ringswald, DO, FAAIM
Thomas Ebner Leadership Award
Muhammad A. Ahmed, MD, FAAEP
Physician of the Year Awards
Alex John Beuning, MD, FAAEP
Loren J. Chassels, DO
James M. Doyle, MD
Randy Horwitz, MD, PhD
Carol J. Iddins, MD, FAADM
Hilton C. Ray, MD
Paul D. Shaderowfsky, MD
Craig Evan Singer, MD, FAASD
Xiaoming S. Wan, MD, PhD, FAAFP
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
I N T E G R AT I V E M E D I C I N E
R A D I O LO GY
INTERNAL MEDICINE
DISASTER MEDICINE
D E R M ATO LO GY
SURGERY
FA M I LY M E D I C I N E
URGENT CARE
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Degree of Fellow Recipients
Terrance Lee Baker, MD, MS, FAAEP, FAAIM Internal Medicine (Geriatric Medicine)
Jonathan S. Simmons, DO, MS, FCCP, FACOI, FAADM Disaster Medicine
Lifetime Achievement Award Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Senior Achievement Award
Achievement Award
Muhammad A. Ahmed, MD, FAAEP
Lingappa S. Amernath, MD, FAAEP
Terrance Lee Baker, MD, MS, FAAEP, FAAIM
Loren J. Chassels, DO
Mark DeSantis, DO, MS, FAAR
Mary L. Jackson-Hammond, MD
Jack V. Greiner, MS, OD, DO, PhD, FAASS
Jonathan S. Simmons, DO, MS, FCCP, FACOI, FAADM
Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt, MD, FAAEP, FACEP Craig Evan Singer, MD, FAASD Leslie Mukau, MD, FAAEP, FACEP Madonna S. Ringswald, DO, FAAIM
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Thank You volunteers! Great volunteers like ours never want anything in return, but are always ready to do great things out of turn. We appreciate all they do to make the organization so empowering!
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2 02 1–2 02 2 A A P S G OV ER N A N CE
Board of Directors Paul E. Gourley, DO, MBA, FACEP, CPE, Administrative Medicine Representative
A N D B OA R D
Huber Matos-Garsault, MD, Anesthesiology Representative
O F D I R E C TO R S
Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD, Dermatology Representative Carol J. Iddins, MD, FAADM, Disaster Medicine Representative
Executive Committee Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt, MD, FAAEP, FACEP, President Jerry A. Allison, MD, MSH, CPE, FAAEP, President-Elect Jack V. Greiner, MS, OD, DO, PhD, FAASS, Immediate Past President Arthur Cooper, MD, MS, FACS, FAADM, Vice President Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP, Secretary/Treasurer Ann Marie Chiasson, MD, MPH Membership Officer
Terrance Lee Baker, MD, MS, FAAEP, FAAIM, Emergency Medicine Representative Mary L. Jackson-Hammond, MD, Family Medicine Representative Myles Spar, MD, Integrative Medicine Representative Madonna S. Ringswald, DO, FAAIM, Internal Medicine Representative Lawrence N. Stein, MD, FAASOS, Orthopedic Surgery Representative Steve C. Ideyi, MD, Radiology Representative Babak Marefat, MD, Surgery Representative James Bernard Short, Jr., MD, FAAFP, Urgent Care Medicine Representative Graeme A. Browne, MD, FAAEP, FAADM, ABPS Chair
Additional Committee Chairs Jerry A. Allison, MD, MSH, CPE, FAAEP, Contract Committee Chair Jerry A. Allison, MD, MSH, CPE, FAAEP, Finance Committee Chair Elizabeth Maxwell-Schmidt, MD, FAAEP, FACEP, Nominating Committee Chair
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Lingappa S. Amernath, MD, FAAEP, ABPS Vice Chair Leslie Mukau, MD, FAAEP, FACEP, CME Chair Judy L. Smith, MD, MS, CPE, FACS, Strategic Planning Chair Lewis W. Marshall, Jr, MD, JD, FAAEP, FAADM, Basic Documents Chair (Non-Voting)
AAPS Staff Jeff Morris, JD, Chief Executive Officer Jacquelyn Hopkins, Director of Finance & Operations Keely Clarke, Director of CME, Meetings & Membership Debi Colmorgen, CME, Meetings & Membership Coordinator Lauren W. Henrichsen, Director of External Affairs Samantha Samisch, Recruitment and Outreach Manager Ashley D. Campis, External Affairs Assistant James G. Marzano, Director of Public Relations & Marketing Susan LoBianco, Director of Certification Karen Duchane, Assistant Director of Certification Christine Marascio, Certification Coordinator Christina Stebbins, Director of Test Development Angela Brumley, Certification Coordinator-Test Development
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American Board of Physician Specialties® Healthcare stakeholders across the country recognize the value of physician board certification. Patients, physicians, practice management groups, and others with an interest in healthcare have differing interpretations about why board certification matters. Make no mistake. It does matter to anyone who cares about the effectiveness of the American healthcare system and the advancement of public health. It starts with patients. The basic mission of the ABPS is to make sure that patients receive access to the best possible care.
