ABMS Announces New Board of Directors

EVANSTON, Ill. — March 18, 2009 — American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the organization overseeing the certification of physician specialists in the United States, announced yesterday at its Annual Assembly 10 new members of its Board of Directors including Valerie M. Parisi, MD, MPH, MBA, who begins a two-year term as secretary-treasurer. Dr. Parisi, who is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, replaces Stephen I. Wasserman, MD, who held the position from 2005-2009.

ABMS’ secretary-treasurer is an elected position and considered an officer of the corporation as are the chair, vice chair and president of the organization. In her role as secretary-treasurer, Dr. Parisi has the responsibility to serve as chief financial officer of the corporation. She is a voting member of the Board, a member of the Executive Committee and chair of the Finance and Audit Committee. Dr. Parisi also will act as a member of the Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards (LCSB).

“This is an exciting time for ABMS as we advance several new initiatives designed to improve the quality of U.S. healthcare,” said Kevin B. Weiss, MD, president and CEO of ABMS. “We are pleased to have Dr. Parisi in a leadership position to help guide ABMS and its Member Boards to address the public's need for a more effective healthcare system.”

“Serving on the ABMS Finance Committee since 2004, I've seen many changes that have occurred as ABMS fulfills its mission to serve both its Member Boards and, most importantly, the general public,” said Dr. Parisi, who also is vice dean of hospital relations and clinical affairs as well as a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. “I believe that my background, values and prior service position me uniquely to be part of the future success of ABMS.”

The ABMS Board of Directors consists of 31 voting directors - one representing each of the 24 Member Boards, three public members and the ABMS officers (chair, vice chair, -more- secretary-treasurer and president). Other newly elected board members include:

• Judith Baumhauer, MD - American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
• David H. Chestnut, MD - American Board of Anesthesiology
• Rebecca L. Johnson, MD - American Board of Pathology
• Dennis J. Matthews, MD - American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• John E. Mayer, MD - American Board of Thoracic Surgery
• Randall K. Roenigk, MD - American Board of Dermatology
• Barbara S. Schneidman, MD - American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
• David J. Schoetz Jr., MD - executive director, American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery
• George M. Segall, MD - American Board of Nuclear Medicine.

About ABMS
Now in its 75th year, American Board of Medical Specialties is the medical organization overseeing physician certification in the United States. It assists its 24 Member Boards in their efforts to develop and implement educational and professional standards for the evaluation and certification of physician specialists. ABMS Member Boards provide physician certification information to ABMS for its certification verification service programs. ABMS is recognized by the key healthcare credentialing accreditation entities as a primary equivalent source of board certification data for medical specialists. Patients can visit www.abms.org or call toll-free 1-866-ASK-ABMS to see if their physician is board certified by an ABMS Member Board. For more information about ABMS visit www.abms.org or call (312) 436-2600.

The 24 Member Boards that make up the ABMS Board Enterprise covers over 145 medical specialties and subspecialties include: American Board of Allergy and Immunology, American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, American Board of Dermatology, American Board of Emergency Medicine, American Board of Family Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Medical Genetics, American Board of Neurological Surgery, American Board of Nuclear Medicine, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Board of Ophthalmology, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Board of Otolaryngology, American Board of Pathology, American Board of Pediatrics American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Plastic Surgery, American Board of Preventive Medicine, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, American Board of Radiology, American Board of Surgery, American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and American Board of Urology.