SAN ANTONIO – The American Board of Phlebology recently announced that Dr. Alan P. Crowther has earned board certification in the specialty of phlebology from the American Board of Phlebology (ABPh).

Dr. Crowther was first board certified by the ABPh in June 2009. This is the second class of diplomates for ABPh, which now includes an exclusive group of 412 diplomates nationwide.

“It’s with great pride that we announce this accomplishment by Dr. Crowther. His certification with the American Board of Phlebology is a direct reflection of his skill, knowledge and experience in providing quality patient care, and his continued commitment to the advancement of vein care. To become board certified is truly an accomplishment. Less than 1 percent of all phlebology professionals in the U.S. have earned certification from the ABPh,” said a board official.

To become an ABPh diplomate, an applicant must complete the requisite training or experience qualifications, meet the continuing medical education requisites and pass a stringent certification examination. Certification periods are 10 years and maintenance is dependent on the ability of the diplomate to display competence in four areas of assessment: evidence of professional standing, evidence of commitment to lifelong-learning and periodic self-assessment, evidence of cognitive expertise and evaluation of performance in practice.

Crowther is a full-time phlebologist. As a certified vascular ultrasonographer, he does all diagnostic testing in his office and performs all procedures needed to treat most lower extremity vein problems on an outpatient basis. His clinic, Exclusive Vein Care, is on North Loop 1604 in north San Antonio. He also consults at the Multispecialty Clinic at the South Texas Regional Medical Center in Jourdanton.

The American Board of Phlebology is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 2007 for the purpose of certifying physicians who have met a defined standard of education, training and knowledge in the field of phlebology.