In October of last year, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) held a meeting in Dallas, Texas. At the meeting the ABPM officially recognized addiction medicine as a subspecialty, according to a press release. The move will allow doctors who are certified by one of the ABMS Member Boards to apply for the new certificate. Recognizing addiction medicine as a subspecialty will expand access to evidence based treatment.
“Substance use and addiction are serious health problems of enormous proportion and impact in this country and on our society,” said ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer, Lois Margaret Nora, MD, JD, MBA. “By offering a certification in this important subspecialty we continue in our role to assure patients and their families that their physician meets the high standards of practice and clinical knowledge, and has completed an approved educational program in this important medical field.”
The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM), a member board of the ABMS, sponsored the application for addiction medicines consideration as a subspecialty, the press release states.
The ABMS points out that that only 11.6 percent of 22.5 million people in the United States who needed addiction treatment received any kind of care in 2014. They add that there is an estimated 16 percent (40 million) of non-institutionalized Americans over the age of 12 who meet the medical criteria for addiction. More people in the United States are living with addiction than those who have cancer, diabetes or heart conditions.
“Increasing the number of well trained and certified specialists in addiction medicine will significantly increase access to care for those in need of intervention and treatment,” said ABPM Board Chair Denece O. Kesler, MD, MPH. “The acknowledgement of this field as a subspecialty will have a significant impact in the ability of the healthcare community to address a disease with far reaching effects on patients, communities and society as a whole.”
At Cottonwood Tucson we are grateful to have been able to gather, from across the country and around the world, a group of uniquely talented individuals who have hundreds of years of combined experience in the treatment of behavioral health disorders. Many of our addiction treatment professionals and clinical staff have felt the same pains and problems you or your loved one may now be experiencing. Contact us to learn more about the treatment programs available to you and your loved ones.
