ABMS phases-out primary source tools

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) recently posted a "credentialing advisory notice" on its Web site (www.abms.org), stating that two of its products can no longer be used for primary source verification for credentialing purposes. Those products are: the ABMS Medical Specialists PLUS CD-ROM, and the Official ABMS Directory of Certified Medical Specialists, 37th edition and subsequent editions, both published by Elsevier Inc. in cooperation with ABMS.

According to the ABMS advisory, the change in verification status was made because information in these resources is not updated frequently, and the complete physician date of birth-an important element for credentialing verification-has been removed from the directory.

Although these tools can continue to be used as a reference resource, they should not be used to verify physician credentials for accreditation purposes, the ABMS says.

As of January 2005, the only acceptable ABMS verification sources are products or services specifically designated by the ABMS as an Official ABMS Display Agent or those directly from the ABMS and its member boards (but not an agent or licensee) where a dated certificate of primary source authenticity has been provided.