The Resolutions: Setting a course for ACEP's Future
An overview of ACEP priorities now and in the future
Last month at ACEP21 in Boston, ACEP Councilors — essentially like a legislative branch of ACEP — met to discuss new Resolutions.
“Resolutions” pertain to issues affecting the practice of emergency medicine, advocacy and regulatory issues, and amendments to things like the College Bylaws or rules. Resolutions are considered formal motions that, if adopted, become official Council policy.
During the Council meeting, Councillors (who serve in each state Chapter) discuss, amend, adopt, or reject Resolutions. If approved, the new Resolution is added to a database and an action plan around it is created. So, for example, a Resolution could lead to a communications campaign, legislative action, or a change to clinical procedures.
There’s a lot more to it, but those are the basics (see page 41 of the Council notebook if you care to get in the weeds on Councillors and Resolutions).
At ACEP21 this year, an ACEP Council meeting was held where:
57 Resolutions were adopted
15 Resolutions were not adopted
1 Resolution was referred to the Council Steering Committee
10 Resolutions were referred to the Board of Directors
VACEP put forth a resolution, which passed, calling for increased transparency about Council to Councillors and all members. We also had a Resolution approved in memory of member Catherine Agustiady-Becker, an emergency physician and mom of three who suddenly passed away this year.
If you’d like to access a database of the 2021 Resolutions, and where they stand, tap the button. You’ll need your ACEP login. The database will continue receiving updates over the coming months as the details from Council and action plans are incorporated.
Among the highlights:
A study on financial incentives to reduce ED crowding
A study on EM practice ownership models on cost and quality of emergency care
Mitigating the unintended consequences of CURES Act requirements by releasing records only after a clinical team has had time to review results
Promoting an Arizona bill protecting EPs from wrongful termination due to whistleblowing
Advocating for paid medical leave
Media marketing of ABEM/ABOEM certified EPs and defining the role of an EM doc
Encouraging medical schools to have required EM rotation
Telehealth education in residency
Education to the public about harms of marijuana
If you’d like to read the resolutions as they were written PRIOR to the ACEP Council meeting — meaning, these may have been amended, and some were rejected — you can view them here. A list of them is on page 162.
