Certificate of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine

CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is proud to announce the inaugural class of health care practitioners who have successfully passed the exam for the Certificate of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine (CAQ). The CAQ was originally created in 2000 to recognize physicians with an advanced level of experience in headache medicine.  In 2005, board certification in headache medicine was established by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS), and the CAQ program became dormant.

Currently, there is no viable pathway for the majority of clinicians to achieve scholarly recognition for excellence in headache management. In 2012, the Board of the NHF recognized the growing number of allied health care practitioners along with primary care physicians, who had gained experience in the diagnosis and treatment of headache. They also determined, as a service to those experiencing headache, that the NHF-endorsed CAQ should be reinstated. The goals are to establish the standards for headache practice and assist those with headaches in locating clinicians who could provide optimal headache-related health care. After establishing the requirements for CAQ, the physician members of the NHF Board, developed a competency examination for eligible candidates. The initial exam was given during October, and the following health care practitioners have been awarded the CAQ in headache medicine:

J. Michael Jones, MPAS-C (Anacortes, WA)

Heather McCoy, DNP (Scottsdale, AZ)

Christina Treppendahl, FNP-BC (Madison, MS)

Polly Vaughan, NP (Wilmington, OH)

These practitioners will now be eligible to use the title of NHF Certified Headache Practitioner (NCHP).

About the National Headache Foundation
The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is the premier educational and informational resource for individuals with headache, their families, physicians, allied health care professionals, and health policy decision makers. To obtain the name of a Health Care Provider interested in headache medicine, please visit www.headaches.org or call 1-888-NHF-5552.

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SOURCE National Headache Foundation