Established in 1977, the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, Inc. (ABQAURP) has evolved to become the nation's largest organization of interdisciplinary healthcare professionals. ABQAURP remains at the forefront of Health Care Quality Management (HCQM), a field so vital to all medical specialties and health care professions. Through its ultimate goal to improve the quality of our Nation's health care, ABQAURP is dedicated to providing health care education and certification for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

Employers from all facets of the health care industry recognize the value of the ABQAURP credential when seeking qualified health care professionals to meet their staffing needs. Diplomates are distinguished by their level of skill in analysis and review and in the multi-faceted Health Care Quality Management field. The ABQAURP credential offers opportunity, fellowship, networking, and the prestige associated with recognition of its Diplomates as experts in the field.

ABQAURP is the only Health Care Quality Management organization with an examination developed, administered, and evaluated through the National Board of Medical Examiners' (NBME) testing expertise. ABQAURP and the NBME collaborate on the planning, development, analysis, and scoring of the certification examination. The NBME's involvement in the certification process reflects ABQAURP's dedication to establishing Health Care Quality Management as a specialty with definable standards upheld by knowledgeable experts.

In addition to its exemplary certification process, ABQAURP provides valuable health care education for health care professionals. Verifying the knowledge required to certify experts, ABQAURP offers health care education programs, not only for those preparing for certification, but also for ABQAURP Diplomates and all other health care professionals. Each year, ABQAURP provides a live conference at a geographically convenient location in the United States, as well as independent study options. Innovative courses provide important updates and practical tools for all health care professionals, with nursing contact hours and AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™ applied to each activity. Participation in these programs ensures that Diplomates receive up-to-date information on the ever-changing health care environment and that candidates for certification have the appropriate educational background to be considered ABQAURP Diplomates in the future.

With today's increasing emphasis on cost-effective quality health care education, the professionals responsible for adherence to standards of care are finding an increased demand for their services. Opportunities for those certified by ABQAURP will multiply as pressures on the health care community increase, with ABQAURP Diplomates strongly positioned to serve America's growing health care needs.