Stuart Linas, MD, Named Secretary-Treasurer of ABIM's Board of Directors

Philadelphia, PA, July 1, 2012 – Stuart Linas, MD, has been named Secretary-Treasurer of the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Board of Directors. Dr. Linas, Rocky Mountain Professor of Renal Research at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (UCDSOM) and Chief of Nephrology at Denver Health Medical Center will also serve on ABIM's Executive Committee.

ABIM sets the standards and certifies physicians practicing in internal medicine and its subspecialties who possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide high quality care.

The Board of Directors guides ABIM's overall mission and direction as it works to improve health care quality. All ABIM Directors participate in ABIM's Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. MOC recognizes that what was standard treatment a decade ago may have changed, and that the public needs a process to know if their physicians have kept-up-to date in their field. Dr. Linas is certified in both internal medicine and nephrology.

"I am honored to serve on the ABIM Board to help physicians improve quality of care for patients across the country," said Dr. Linas. "I look forward to helping internists and subspecialists embrace the concepts of ongoing certification and quality improvement, which will lead to better patient outcomes."

Dr. Linas currently chairs the Curriculum Steering Committee at the UCDSOM. He has served on the Board of Advisors and has served as the Chair of the Renal Fellowship Program Directors and the Hypertension Advisory Group for the American Society of Nephrology. Dr. Linas has been the Renal Fellowship Director since 1984 and the Head of the Section of Hypertension within the Division of Renal Diseases since 1994. Dr. Linas has also served as the President of the Association of Specialty Professors and on the Board of Directors of the Alliance of Academic Internal Medicine.

"Stuart brings a wealth of knowledge about clinical practice and medical education at a critical juncture in the profession. As a leader in nephrology care, he understands the competing forces at work in health care today, and he brings that important perspective to the Board." said Christine K. Cassel, MD, ABIM's President and CEO.

Dr. Linas is the recipient of numerous teaching awards from medical students and house staff at the University of Colorado.

For media inquiries contact Lorie Slass at 215-399-4005.

About ABIM
For 75 years, certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has stood for the highest standard in internal medicine and its 19 subspecialties and has meant that internists have demonstrated – to their peers and to the public – that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care. ABIM is not a membership society, but a non-profit, independent evaluation organization. Our accountability is both to the profession of medicine and to the public. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. For additional updates, follow ABIM on Facebookand Twitter.