Dr. Richard G. Battaglia named Chief Medical Officer of ABIM

Philadelphia, PA, October 30, 2015 – The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) is pleased to announce that Richard G. Battaglia, MD, has joined the senior leadership team of the organization and will serve as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) leading ABIM's effort to incorporate feedback from practicing physicians and key stakeholders into clinical aspects of all of ABIM activities, including Certification and Maintenance of Certification (MOC).

Dr. Battaglia served as a primary care internist with Health Care Plan/Univera, a multi-specialty physician group in Western New York, before transitioning into leadership roles. At ABIM, he will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Baron, MD.

As CMO, Dr. Battaglia will build and lead ABIM's Clinical Affairs efforts to support the organization's work in defining and assessing physician competencies. The department will more fully integrate physician voices into the design and operation of ABIM activities to ensure that all products and services, including Certification and MOC, contribute to the highest quality practice of medicine and better outcomes for patients.

"ABIM remains committed to working with the internal medicine community to ensure that our products and programs evolve to better reflect the complex and rapidly changing nature of medical practice," Dr. Baron said. "With experience as a practicing internist, physician leader and healthcare consultant, Dr. Battaglia has a deep understanding of the many challenges physicians face day-to-day in practice. His expert perspective and ability to foster connections across the community will be vital to all aspects of ABIM's work, including efforts to improve MOC."

In addition to working as an internist within Health Care Plan/Univera, Dr. Battaglia held various leadership positions, including Medical Director of the Medical Centers Division and Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs/Corporate Medical Director. He also served as Medical Director for Medical Partners of Western New York and led an initiative to unite that group with a regional family practice group and became CMO of the merged practice. Dr. Battaglia has participated in national initiatives at the Group Practice Improvement Network and The HMO Group, which focused on improving the quality of health care delivery. He worked with the National Committee for Quality Assurance for 10 years, including a term as Chairman of the committee charged with accreditation decision-making. Most recently, he was a consultant for national and international organizations, including academic medical centers, health systems, community hospitals, medical groups, payers and national physician certification organizations.

Dr. Battaglia, a board certified internist participating in MOC, received a biochemistry degree from Canisius College and his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He completed his residency through the University of Rochester Primary Care Program in internal medicine and also served as Chief Resident.

"I look forward to joining ABIM's talented staff and physician leaders as we identify the mutually held values of a diverse, dedicated physician community through conversation and collaboration in order to produce a credential the public trusts and that internists and subspecialists are proud to earn and maintain throughout their careers," Dr. Battaglia said.


About ABIM
For more than 75 years, certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has stood for the highest standard in internal medicine and its 20 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.