Philadelphia, PA, July 1, 2008 – Richard J. Baron, MD, FACP, a practicing internist, has been named Chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Board of Directors from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. ABIM sets the standards and certifies physicians practicing in internal medicine and its subspecialties who possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide high quality care. Dr. Baron was also elected Trustee of the ABIM Foundation, which focuses on advancing physician accountability and professionalism.
The Board of Directors, composed of physicians board certified in internal medicine or one of its subspecialties, guides ABIM's overall mission and direction as it works to improve health care quality. All ABIM Directors participate in ABIM's Maintenance of Certification program, which promotes ongoing learning and in which doctors demonstrate their commitment to the Board’s standards.
ABIM has issued more than 220,000 Internal Medicine certificates. Dr. Baron recently completed the requirements for his second cycle of Maintenance of Certification in internal medicine.
"As a practicing internist, Rich is intimately familiar with the challenges facing primary care physicians today," said Christine K. Cassel, MD, ABIM's President and CEO. "He shares our commitment and dedication to improving health care quality and has the skills and experience necessary to effectively represent the profession. Rich will be an excellent leader of our Board at this important time."
Dr. Baron is also president and founder of Greenhouse Internists, PC, a community-based internal medicine practice in Philadelphia.
"I am honored to work with ABIM to help physicians improve quality of care for patients across the country," said Dr. Baron. "I look forward to helping internists and subspecialists embrace the concepts of ongoing certification and quality improvement, which will lead to better patient outcomes."
Dr. Baron is a member of the Standards Committee of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which sets standards for health plan quality through NCQA's accreditation program. Previously, he was senior vice president for Medical Affairs at Health Partners, a non-profit Medicaid HMO in Philadelphia. For many years, Dr. Baron has advised the Center for Health Care Strategies, a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality and efficiency of health care services for beneficiaries served by publicly financed care, on using managed care initiatives to improve health care quality.
He received the American College of Physicians' Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award, which recognizes notable contribution to superior clinical care in the field of internal medicine. His work has been published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), The New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine and other prestigious health care publications. He received his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine.
ABIM Board Certified Doctors Make a Difference
Internists and subspecialists who earn and maintain board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) differentiate themselves every day through their specialized knowledge and commitment to continual learning in service of their patients. Established as an independent nonprofit more than 80 years ago, ABIM continues to be driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world. Visit ABIM's blog to learn more and follow ABIM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties.