The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine

What The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine does

The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM) is a non-profit, independent physician certification body founded in 2007 (originally as the American Board of Phlebology, renamed in June 2013) and headquartered at 1800 M Street NW, Suite 400-S, Washington, DC. ABVLM administers the DABVLM credential to allopathic and osteopathic physicians practicing venous and lymphatic medicine across multiple primary specialties (cardiology, dermatology, interventional radiology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, and emergency medicine). The organization's mission is to set and uphold standards for VLM care through a psychometrically validated, criterion-referenced certification exam built on a Job Task Analysis and a Core Content Outline (effective 2025). The certification examination is delivered exclusively through Pearson VUE test centers (or OnVUE remote proctoring), and certified diplomates must enroll in the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program, which combines biennial CME attestation, quarterly Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) items hosted on StartTest, and an annual $425 MOC fee processed through the Certemy diplomate portal.

ABVLM's revenue model is anchored on recurring annual MOC fees from its installed base of 612 cumulative diplomates (as of January 2026), supplemented by one-time certification application fees from 28-38 new candidates per year, and minor ancillary streams such as $25 certificate replacement sales and employer-partner fee offsets via the Employer Advocate Program (launched September 2025). In January 2026 the organization launched four new certification pathways (Physician in Training, Board Eligible, Non-Interventionalist, Interventionalist) to broaden access. Distribution is entirely self-serve/direct: candidates apply online, manage their profiles and fees through Certemy, and sit for the exam at Pearson VUE. The organization operates with a minimal staff (Executive Director Jen McCadden and Certification & MOC Program Administrator Matt Pina) and is governed by a Board of Directors of approximately 16 physician directors drawn from across VLM-relevant specialties. ABVLM is geographically restricted to physicians licensed in the United States, its territories, and Canada.

Name

The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine

Legal name

American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine

Website

https://abvlm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM) is a non-profit physician certification body, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, DC, that grants the DABVLM credential and administers an annual Maintenance of Certification program to specialists practicing venous and lymphatic medicine in the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Physician Medical Certification

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Medical Licensure Exam Prep (USMLE/COMLEX, NCLEX, Dentistry, Pharmacy, PA) (EDANAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC)

Keywords

• Physician certification services
• Venous lymphatic medicine
• Board certification programs
• Maintenance of certification
• Medical subspecialty credentialing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Annual Fee: Recurring annual fee of $425 per diplomate, billed via the Certemy portal, due each year (deadline March 31; ABVLM News also references an April 30 deadline in the 2026 cycle) to maintain DABVLM status. Late fee penalties apply.
2. Certificate Replacement Sales: One-time $25 charge per additional framed certificate, ordered through the Certemy diplomate portal.
3. Certification Application Fees: One-time application fees paid by candidates for each certification cycle; pricing varies by pathway (Physician in Training, Board Eligible, Non-Interventionalist, Interventionalist) introduced January 2026. Exact fee schedule is on the Fees & Eligibility page not fully scraped.
4. Certification Verification Requests: Verification of diplomate status is provided via email on request with a 48-hour (business day) turnaround; not stated to be a paid service in the scraped data.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ABVLM is a non-profit physician certification body that administers board certification in venous and lymphatic medicine, awarding the DABVLM (Diplomate of the American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine) credential to qualifying physicians. It develops and delivers the criterion-referenced certification exam via Pearson VUE, an annual Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, the Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) for continuous learning, and a curated Continuing Medical Education (CME) resource directory for its diplomates.

Product overview

ABVLM operates a single unified certification and maintenance platform rather than a multi-product suite. The core offering is the ABVLM Board Certification (DABVLM credential), delivered through four application pathways (Physician in Training, Board Eligible, Non-Interventionalist, and Interventionalist). All certified physicians are enrolled in the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program, which combines three ongoing modules: Continuing Medical Education (CME) attestation, the Online Learning & Assessment (OLA) Program, and an annual MOC fee remittance. Complementary programs wrap around the core certification: the Employer Advocate Program recognizes healthcare organizations that champion ABVLM certification, the Find a Physician Directory and Patient Brochure support the public, and the Diplomate Resources (badges, certificates, advertising policy) help certified physicians promote their DABVLM status.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ABVLM Board Certification (DABVLM)
• Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program
• Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) Program
• Continuing Medical Education (CME) Resources Directory
• Employer Advocate Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 612 cumulative DABVLM diplomates (as of January 2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Pearson VUEflagshipTechnology or IntegrationPearson VUE is the exclusive test delivery partner for the ABVLM Board Certification Exam. Approved candidates register with Pearson VUE and sit the 4-hour exam at Pearson VUE test centers, or remotely via the OnVUE proctoring system, during the August 1 – September 15 administration window. Pearson VUE seating is limited, so ABVLM urges early registration.
• CertemyflagshipTechnology or IntegrationCertemy powers the ABVLM secure diplomate portal (abvlm.certemy.com) used for online certification applications, profile management, MOC fee payment, CME attestation, and ordering additional certificates. ABVLM publishes step-by-step PDFs and videos on how to log in, update profiles, and record MOC payments through Certemy.
• StartTest (starttest.com)coreTechnology or IntegrationStartTest hosts the ABVLM Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) platform. Diplomates receive quarterly reminder emails (from [email protected]) to complete 10 OLA items per quarter, replacing the prior decennial recertification exam.
• Framing SuccessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFraming Success is a preferred partner for hand-made custom frames for DABVLM certificates, with prices already discounted 15% for ABVLM Diplomates on approximately a dozen moulding selections. ABVLM diplomates are directed to Framing Success from the DABVLM Resources page.
• MediaspaceminorOthersMediaspace (mediaspace.co) is credited as the website design and development partner for abvlm.org; byline on ABVLM press releases, including the December 2025 Core Content article.
• SmartSheetcoreTechnology or IntegrationSmartSheet forms power online application intake for the Employer Advocate Program, the Diplomate Referral Program, and the Board of Directors nomination process.
• Venous SymposiumcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerABVLM exhibits and presents at the Venous Symposium (April 30 – May 2, 2026, New York City), the premier international conference on vein pathology; ABVLM Diplomates receive 20% off registration.
• American Venous Forum (AVF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerABVLM is exhibiting at the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Venous Forum in Denver, February 28 – March 4, 2026. The AVF is a recurring VLM conference partner and is listed as a CME resource on abvlm.org.
• American Vein & Lymphatic Society (AVLS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAVLS is a featured CME resource provider for ABVLM Diplomates, offering an Annual Congress, regional symposia, and online courses via myavls.org. ABVLM includes AVLS events in its diplomate communications.
• Society for Vascular Medicine (SVM)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSVM is a featured CME resource provider on the ABVLM CME page, supplying an annual meeting and CME activities via vascularmed.org; SVM Annual Scientific Meeting listed in ABVLM newsletters as a diplomate event.
• Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLE&RN Online Symposium Series is listed as an "Other CME Opportunity" resource for ABVLM Diplomates (lymphaticnetwork.org/symposium-series).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Board of Surgery (ABS): ABMS member board certifying general and specialty surgeons, including vascular surgery. A significant share of DABVLM diplomates are vascular surgeons, making ABS a relevant incumbent for credentialing overlap and competition.
• American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM): The largest US physician certification board, covering internal medicine and its subspecialties including cardiovascular disease and vascular medicine. Represents the dominant ABMS credential that many ABVLM candidates already hold.
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): Umbrella organization for 24 ABMS member boards that set physician certification standards in the US. ABVLM operates outside the ABMS framework but competes for relevance with member boards whose physicians also practice VLM.
• National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME): Provides USMLE and other physician assessments, including psychometric services and exam administration. Comparable as a peer certification/assessment organization with similar exam-development rigor and standards.

Emerging players

• American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS): Credentialing body for ultrasound professionals, including the RPVI credential many VLM physicians pursue. Operates in an adjacent certification niche with similar psychometric standards and recurring MOC requirements.
• Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC): Accredits vascular testing and vein centers and is led in part by ABVLM Vice President Mark Meissner. Adjacent accreditation body that overlaps with VLM quality standards and the same physician population.

Direct peers

• Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE): Independent certification body for diabetes care and education specialists. Operates with a similar single-credential, MOC-driven, non-profit certification model and comparable scale in the hundreds-to-low-thousands of certificants.
• American Board of Vascular Medicine: Independent physician certification board for vascular medicine, addressing a closely adjacent subspecialty. Comparable in structure (small non-profit board, single credential) and overlapping candidate pool of vascular medicine and VLM physicians.
• American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (ABIME): Independent physician certification body for impairment rating and independent medical examinations. Comparable as a small, non-ABMS specialty board offering a niche credential with annual fees and MOC requirements.
• American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS): Independent (non-ABMS) physician certification board for cosmetic surgery. Highly comparable as a niche, single-credential non-profit board operating outside ABMS with similar governance, marketing, and recertification dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-american-board-of-venous-and-lymphatic-medicine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine