Addressing the Practical Issues of Integrating Public Members into ABMS Member Board Activities

Description: In an age of increasing consumer engagement and political polarization, integrating public members within medical boards matters more than ever. Public members represent the broad perspectives of the general public beyond their lived experience and expertise, with a keen awareness of the health concerns of diverse demographic groups. These crucial perspectives can inform the board community's work in multiple capacities, including governance, population health trends, communication, assessments, credentialing, and quality improvement efforts.

However, many boards struggle with integrating public members into their work. Identification, recruitment, and training are often barriers for boards, particularly those that seek diverse perspectives or have limited access to patient and public networks.

Successful onboarding directly impacts public members' experience with the board, leading to higher retention rates for benefit of the organization and the public. Compensation, role delineation, and ongoing education support can be potential challenges for boards. Effective mechanisms for bringing on and retaining public members in high-capacity spheres include comprehensive orientation guides, shadowing, and peer mentors.

This session explores the roles, functions, and practicalities of recruiting and integrating public members into board work. A panel of American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Emergency Medicine, and ABMS representatives will share their organization's stories about engaging public members and their beneficial impact on their organization's governance, processes, and work to date; they will discuss practical solutions and partnership opportunities to achieve successful public member engagement across boards.