The Florida Board of Medicine has voted to grant a waiver allowing physicians certified by the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS) to represent themselves as board certified in Florida physician advertising.
This decision broadens recognized certification options beyond the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
NBPAS certification is available only to physicians who have previously completed initial specialty board certification through ABMS, according to the petition. The board granted a waiver from Florida's requirement that a recognizing agency administer its own comprehensive examination, accepting NBPAS' argument that its physicians had already demonstrated competency through prior ABMS certification.
The decision does not guarantee that hospitals, health systems, insurers, or other credentialing organizations will accept NBPAS certification for their own purposes, as individual organizations may maintain separate credentialing standards, the Florida Medical Association noted. NBPAS is scheduled to appear before the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine on August 21 to seek a similar waiver.
