Christine Cassel, MD, long-time president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the ABIM Foundation is stepping down at the end of her current term in July 2013, ABIM announced on Friday.
“Chris has guided ABIM to increase both the relevance and the rigor of the initial certification and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) programs for physicians in internal medicine and its subspecialties,” said Catherine R. Lucey, MD, chair of ABIM’s board of directors, in a statement. “She has constantly reminded the Board and our community of the importance of putting the patient first by helping diplomates demonstrate their commitment to continuous learning and improvement. I am particularly grateful for the countless hours Chris has spent advocating at the national level for the recognition of the importance and value that board certification has for the public, medical groups, hospitals and CMS.”
Cassel, a nationally recognized expert on geriatric medicine, has led ABIM for nearly a decade. During her tenure, she stressed the importance of professionalism, helped the organization amass a body of research demonstrating the effectiveness of certification and partnered with various organizations, including Consumer Reports, to illustrate the power of physician leadership.
[See also: Women in Healthcare: Christine Cassel; New campaign seeks to curb unnecessary healthcare services; Physician groups identify 45 common and often unnecessary services.]
“I have always been inspired that ABIM's accountability is both to the profession of medicine and to the public. I believe we have been extremely successful in serving both of these constituencies,” said Cassel in a statement. “I have great pride in our accomplishments and great confidence in the promise of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation going forward.”
ABIM will begin a national search for Cassel’s replacement. Cassel, who is aiding in the transition, said Lorie Slass, the organization’s vice president of communications, is not planning on retiring once she leaves ABIM, but has not yet determined what her next move will be.
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