Tampa, FL – According to the latest projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the country is expected to see a shortage of 33,100 physicians in specialties such as emergency medicine by 2015 (only 3 years away) — calling for greater recognition of career emergency medicine physicians. With board certification in all physician specialties now becoming a requirement, in most hospital institutions, recognition of this expertise and experience of career emergency medicine physicians is a must.
The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) believes that all patients who visit the nation’s emergency departments deserve to be treated by an experienced board certified emergency medicine physician. The ABPS Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM) looks to ensure patients are regardless of their geographic location. BCEM offers an opportunity to career emergency medicine physicians to become board certified in emergency medicine and BCEM is one of the nation’s largest EM boards certifying qualified experienced EM physicians since 1989.
According to the “National Study of the Emergency Physician Workforce 2008” (published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine 2009), thirty-one percent of the emergency department workforce in the United States is staffed by career emergency medicine physicians that have a primary care background. ABPS embraces these career EM physicians and believes they have earned the right to demonstrate their knowledge, ability and become board certified in EM. America’s patients have the right to expect the best possible emergency care provided by board certified physicians.
At a time of great physician shortages, ABPS focuses on placing the patient first, striving to ensure all patients are receiving the highest level of care both in urban and rural areas of the nation. All patients deserve the ability to be seen by a board certified emergency medicine physician that meets the rigorous standards set by ABPS.
“The foundation of ABPS board certification is built on placing patients first. They look to ensure that those outside urban areas receive the same level of care as those residing in the larger metropolitan communities,” explains Mark Bolton, MD, MPH, MBA. Dr. Bolton is a BCEM Diplomate and CEO of Coast to Coast Healthcare Services, a company that recruits physicians for hospitals in rural and remote communities nationwide.
ABPS recognizes the need for experienced board certified emergency medicine physicians that have completed residencies in primary care specialties. All too often urgent cases require a variety of medical expertise.
“Career emergency medicine physicians who have a primary care, or surgical residency along with a board certification in emergency medicine, are often the best choice to meet the needs of patients in local communities,” said Bolton. ”In addition to their training, they have developed the necessary skills and judgment through extensive experience to handle emergency room scenarios without sub-specialty support and state-of-the-art equipment,” he added.
ABPS is a leading certifying body for both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians and provides opportunities for physicians to become board certified in 17 medical specialties.
ABPS is the official certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc
