FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 14, 2019 • SENIOR LIVING • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
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Choosing the right doctor for you and your family
what matters to you when fi nding a
doctor to treat you or your family members?
A recent survey commissioned by the
American Board of Medical Specialties
found that four out of fi ve people ranked
Board Certifi cation as an important factor
when selecting a doctor, second only
to whether the doctor is covered by their
insurance.
Choosing a new doctor is an important
decision that nearly everyone experiences
at one time or another, whether it’s fi nding
a new family physician or pediatrician
aft er a move or searching for a specialist
aft er being diagnosed with a condition
such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer.
When selecting a physician, you want
to know the doctor you choose is qualifi
ed and that you and your family will
receive the best care. Board Certifi ed doctors
hold themselves to a higher standard
and have demonstrated their knowledge
and expertise in their specialty. Th is higher
standard has been found to be important
to patients.
“Choosing a doctor is one of the
most important decisions you’ll make
regarding your health,” said Richard E.
Hawkins, MD, president and chief executive
offi cer, American Board of Medical
Specialties (ABMS), the leading not-forprofi
t organization overseeing physician
certifi cation in the United States.
“Today’s patients have a greater expectation
for quality. Board Certifi ed physicians
off er people confi dence that their
doctor has the specialized knowledge,
skills and clinical judgment to provide
the high-quality care they expect and
deserve.”
What is Board Certifi cation?
Board Certifi cation is recognized as the
premier standard and assessment system
for specialty and subspecialty expertise in
medical, surgical and hospital disciplines.
• Board Certifi ed doctors are experts in
their specialties. Doctors who choose
to be Board Certifi ed are required to
demonstrate their specialized knowledge
in their area of practice.
• Board Certifi ed doctors have met a
higher standard. To be Board Certifi ed,
doctors successfully complete extensive
training and assessment beyond that of
their non-Board Certifi ed peers.
• Not all doctors are Board Certifi ed.
Board Certification is voluntary,
and more than 880,000 doctors in
the United States are ABMS Board
Certifi ed in 40 specialties and 87 subspecialties.
• Find out if a doctor is Board Certifi ed.
Th is simple search tool allows you
to check if your doctor, or one you
are considering, is Board Certifi ed.
Certifi cationMatters.org, a website of
ABMS, also features information about
how doctors earn Board Certifi cation,
its importance to quality care and why
the credential matters. Additional
resources include links to prominent
health care and consumer advocacy
organizations.
To fi nd a Board Certifi ed doctor near
you, visit Certifi cationMatters.org.
Courtesy Family Features
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/cationMatters.org
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