Welcome to the American Board of Maritime Medicine!
The American Board of Maritime Medicine (ABMM) is the only certifying body in the United States, and world-wide, which provides Board Certification to Maritime Physicians, Maritime Nurses, and Maritime Public Health Specialists.
The ABMM serves as a unifying body to foster collegiality, professional excellence and leadership amongst Maritime Physicians, Maritime Nurses, and Maritime Public Health Specialists.
Promoting the excellence of patient care within the maritime community which is comprised of seafarers, offshore workers, passengers and visitors who travel at sea and visit the resort islands operated by shipowners and cruise line organizations.
Close-Co-operation
The ABMM believes that “close co-operation” is the hallmark of world success when dealing with multi-specialty multi-professional individuals and entities who strive to advance healthcare amongst seafarers and members of the maritime community. This concept was most vividly expressed in the International Labour Organization (ILO) C164 proclamation, Health Protection and Medical Care (Seafarers) Convention, 1987 (No. 164) wherein it is stated that in order to achieve success of action in the field of health protection and medical care for seafarers, it is important that “close co-operation” be maintained in their respective fields “between the International Labour Organisation [ILO], the International Maritime Organization [IMO] and the World Health Organization [WHO].”
“Seafarer,” Passengers, and the “Maritime Community.”
The definition of “seafarer,” while seemingly a simple term, is, and has been, the subject of intense and complex discussions and debate. While the International Maritime Organization (IMO) doesn’t provide its own formal definition of “seafarer,” it instead references the definition established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006.
ABMM – Definitional Considerations
The ABMM reference to “seafarer” and “passengers,” while being inclusive of definitional references expoused by the ILO/ MLC, is intended to be much more expansive and inclusive – because the ABMM believes that the healthcare and medical care delivered to members of the maritime community must be maintained at all times at the highest quality notwithstanding the designated nomenclature of work assignment a particular individual may be assigned; and no matter where such individual may be performing their duties in the maritime community.
Thomas A. Gionis, MD JD MPH MBA MHA LLM FAIHQ
Chairman of the Board, American Board of Maritime Medicine
United States Fulbright Scholar in Law, Global/Public Health
Fellow, American Institute for Healthcare Quality
Board Certified, American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians
Academie de’ Droit International de La Haye
The Hague Academy of International Law, Advanced Certificate in International Law
Email: Dr. Thomas Gionis