Patricia M. Conolly, MD, Named Secretary of the ABIM's Board of Directors

Philadelphia, PA, July 1, 2013 – Patricia M. Conolly, MD, has been named Secretary of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Board of Directors. Dr. Conolly is Associate Executive Director of The Permanente Medical Group. 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 ABIM Board of Directors, comprised of physicians who are board certified in internal medicine or one of its subspecialties, guides ABIM's overall mission and direction as it works to ensure the relevance and value of Certification. As Secretary, Dr. Conolly will help ABIM leadership transition into a new form of governance – with a Board that is forward looking, setting strategic goals for the organization and with a newly formed Council that will set the standards for what it means to be a good internal medicine physician.

"As the American Board of Internal Medicine goes through significant governance changes designed to improve the value, relevance and rigor of our products, I am thrilled to be able to work closely with Pat to ensure that we live up to good governance standards throughout that process," said Richard J. Baron, MD, ABIM's President and CEO. "How we do what we do is important, and Pat brings a wealth of experience from Kaiser Permanente on how to manage complex problems and engage diverse stakeholders in solving them; her help will be invaluable as we begin this new phase of our work."

All ABIM Directors participate in ABIM's Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.

Dr. Conolly is certified in internal medicine and completed MOC in 2011.

"This is a challenging and dynamic time for the Board," said Patricia M. Conolly, MD. "I am honored to work with Dr. Baron and the Board to ensure that our certification remains highly valued by both the public and our profession."
Dr. Conolly currently practices at Kaiser Permanente's Oakland Medical Center where she served as Chief of Medicine and Director of its internal medicine residency program as well as Director of Medical Education. Dr. Conolly chaired Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, overseeing evidence-based clinical guidelines for medication use as well as the formulary process.

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 Facebook and Twitter.