| Choosing the right doctor is an important | | | | trained to provide pain relief and |
| decision, not to be made simply on the basis | | | | supervision during an operation or diagnostic |
| of insurance coverage, or solely upon a list | | | | procedure, and to provide optimization of |
| of physicians provided to you by your | | | | condition and stabilization before, during |
| insurance company. A far better way to select | | | | and after care. In addition to critical care |
| a physician is to choose a physician Board | | | | and resuscitation of patients in cardiac, |
| Certified in his/her field, thus ensuring | | | | respiratory emergency or severe injury, |
| additional levels of training, current | | | | Anesthesiologists can consult and provide |
| knowledge and the highest degree of peer | | | | treatment for acute or long-standing pain |
| based testing and scrutiny. | | | | management. |
| | | | |
| All physicians are licensed, but not all are | | | | It is possible to obtain Board Certifications |
| Board Certified. What does it mean to be | | | | in both Anesthesiology and in one of the |
| Board Certified? | | | | subspecialties of Anesthesiology. |
| | | | Subspecialties of Anesthesiology include |
| Board Certification is a formal recognition | | | | Critical Care Medicine and Pain Medicine. In |
| of the highest qualifications in a chosen | | | | addition to the training and examination |
| medical field, and is given only to | | | | required for Board Certification in |
| physicians who have passed examination before | | | | Anesthesiology, Board Certification sought in |
| specialty boards comprised of their | | | | the Pain Medicine sub-specialty requires an |
| professional peers. Board Certified | | | | additional Fellowship in an ACGME Certified |
| physicians have been highly trained and | | | | university program. Following this |
| tested in their areas of medicine. | | | | comprehensive training, an examination must |
| | | | be passed to be Board Certified in Pain |
| A Board Certification examination is a | | | | Medicine. |
| stringent exam given to a physician to test | | | | |
| skill, knowledge, ability and medical | | | | A Board Certified physician that is |
| judgment. Board certification is not only | | | | additionally certified in Pain Medicine (also |
| scientific testing regarding medical | | | | known as Pain Management) is an |
| knowledge; it includes medical judgment, | | | | Anesthesiologist who provides a high level of |
| performance and practice standards. | | | | care, either as a primary physician or |
| | | | consultant, for patients experiencing acute |
| Some physicians who are Board certified | | | | or chronic pain. Rather than simply |
| become Board Certified in a further | | | | administering pain medication, Board |
| subspecialty. Medical specialty certification | | | | Certified Pain Management physicians diagnose |
| in the United States is a voluntary rather | | | | the sources of pain and strive to provide |
| than mandatory process. The certifying | | | | pain relief through minimally invasive |
| organization is called the American Board of | | | | techniques. |
| Medical Specialties (ABMS), an umbrella | | | | |
| organization overseeing the 24 approved | | | | How important is it that a physician be Board |
| medical specialty boards in the United | | | | Certified? A Gallup public opinion poll |
| States. | | | | revealed that 3 out of 4 people would select |
| | | | a physician who is Board Certified, even over |
| Physicians with specialty credentials have | | | | a personal recommendation from a friend, and |
| completed an approved and monitored | | | | over 80 % say that they would change |
| A.C.G.M.E. (The Accreditation Council for | | | | physicians if the Board Certification lapsed. |
| Graduate Medical Education) training program | | | | |
| after going to medical school, and they have | | | | In addition to patient demand, medical care |
| taken certification examinations to establish | | | | institutions, facilities and insurers are |
| their proficiency in a particular specialty | | | | more often requiring physicians to document |
| of medicine. For example, a Board Certified | | | | quality of care, and Board Certification |
| Anesthesiologist is a physician highly | | | | provides this standard. |