CHEST Guidelines--strong-POINT---strong--Should-Interventional-Pulm

-strong-POINT---strong--Should-Interventional-Pulm

Pdf Summary

The document discusses the debate over whether Interventional Pulmonology (IP) should receive formal subspecialty recognition by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Advocates for recognition, Hans J. Lee, MD, and Andrew D. Lerner, MD, argue that IP has rapidly developed as a significant subspecialty requiring specific training that traditional pulmonary fellowships cannot provide. The field has established over 35 training programs, dedicated research journals, and specialized conferences. Formal recognition and ABIM board certification could standardize practice, improve quality assurance, and meet the growing demand for IP specialists.<br /><br />The central points cited in favor include:<br />- Board certification independently verifies a physician's expertise and has been linked to better patient outcomes and higher quality care.<br />- Recognition as a subspecialty can help develop standardized practice guidelines and competencies.<br />- ABIM certification can attract trainees, promote research, and encourage resource allocation to the field.<br /><br />The article also highlights the emergence of accreditation standards for IP training programs supported by multiple professional societies, suggesting that IP meets the criteria set by ABIM's New and Emerging Disciplines in Internal Medicine report.<br /><br />On the opposing side, Neeraj R. Desai, MD, and Kevin L. Kovitz, MD, acknowledge IP's uniqueness and requirement for specialized training but do not provide their detailed arguments against ABIM subspecialty status in the provided text.<br /><br />The overall discussion underscores the importance of establishing certification to ensure quality and transparency in specialized medical fields, balancing the development of new subspecialties with existing certification frameworks.

Keywords

Interventional Pulmonology

ABIM recognition

subspecialty certification

Hans J. Lee

Andrew D. Lerner

training programs

standardized practice

patient outcomes

professional societies

medical specialization