52 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • NOVEMBER 21, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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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-for-profi 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 Certifi cation 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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