AMA opposes burdensome physician certification and licensure

Despite the trend of increased physician licensure and board certification, the American Medical Association (AMA) at its annual meeting adopted new policies stating that it will request the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) not require physicians to take numerous specialty certification exams, according to an AMA News article yesterday.

"It is a critical issue to a lot of physicians," said Gregory Threatte, MD, an alternate delegate for the Medical Society of the State of New York and an anatomic/clinical pathologist. "There is widespread concern about these multiple certifications and licensure examinations that are starting to chew up more and more expense."

Many physicians in recent years have complained of increasing costs and time commitments required of certification. However, hospitals and healthcare organizations have argued that certification and licensure ensure current physician competency and, therefore, patient safety.

The AMA says it also opposes public reporting of physician performance data collected by certifying and licensing boards. In addition, AMA will work with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education about the rising costs of CME, as funds once provided by institutions have decreased due to budget cuts across the country.

For more:
- read the AMA News article