ABIM Visual Depiction of Professionalism

Posted on | January 7, 2010 | Comments Off on ABIM Visual Depiction of Professionalism

ABIM visual depiction of the words physicians most associate with medical professionalism:

Preamble: The centerpiece of our engagement in medical professionalism is Medical Professionalism in the New Millennium: A Physician Charter, which we authored in 2002, in partnership with the American College of Physicians Foundation and the European Federation of Internal Medicine.

The Charter has as its fundamental principles the primacy of patient welfare, patient autonomy and social justice. The Charter also articulates professional commitments of physicians, including improving quality and access to care, advocating for a just and cost-effective distribution of finite resources, and maintaining trust by managing conflicts of interest.

Summary: The practice of medicine in the modern era is beset with unprecedented challenges in virtually all cultures and societies. These challenges center on increasing disparities among the legitimate needs of patients,the available resources to meet those needs,the increasing dependence on market forces to transform health care systems,and the temptation for physicians to forsake their traditional commitment to the primacy of patients’interests.To maintain the fidelity of medicine’s social contract during this turbulent time,we believe that physicians must reaffirm their active dedication to the principles of professionalism,which entails not only their personal commitment to the welfare of their patients but also collective efforts to improve the health care system for the welfare of society.This Charter on Medical Professionalism is intended to encourage such dedication and to promote an action agenda for the profession of medicine that is universal in scope and purpose.

2004 ❧ABIM FOUNDATION ❧ACP FOUNDATION ❧EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF INTERNAL MEDICINE