Tennessee

TCEP hosted a successful 2023 educational symposium featuring presentations on various topics and issues impacting emergency medicine in Tennessee. The chapter is committed to the future of emergency medicine as continues to mentor and provide support for residents attending ACEP’s Leadership and Advocacy Conference. All Tennessee ACEP Chapter Councillors demonstrated their personal commitment to the political future and research initiatives of the specialty by supporting NEMPAC and EMF.

Texas

Texas is a great state for both practicing and receiving medical care because of its amazing tort law that was passed in 2003. Being involved with TCEP helps ensure that the chapter continues to protect this tort law every legislative session.

Utah

UCEP hosted its annual Emergency Physician Summit in Salt Lake City, headlined by Dr. Scott Weingart of EM:RAP and EMCrit, and Dr. Christopher Kang, then-ACEP President, among other esteemed speakers. The event brought top-notch education and EM insights, along with free CME, to Utah’s emergency physicians. UCEP also sent five delegates to ACEP’s Leadership and Advocacy Conference to lobby the Utah legislators on Capitol Hill for decreased ED boarding, increased opiate use disorder resources, and maintaining current Medicare and Medicaid rates. UCEP’s jail clearance task force met with state law enforcement administrators and establish an improved process that eliminates the detailed forms emergency physicians were required to complete that made them liable for “clearing” a patient for jail and now allows emergency physicians to perform an MSE to determine if an arrested person has an emergency medical condition, just as with any patient.

Vermont

Multiple chapter members have been involved in active advocacy to pass VT S36 which relates to crimes against health care workers at hospitals and against emergency medical treatment professionals. This allows law enforcement to remove individuals who assault or engage in violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior directed at emergency physicians with a warrant-less arrest. Additionally, in October, the ACEP Council passed Resolution 27, “Addressing Interhospital Transfer Challenges for Rural EDs,” which was co-sponsored by Vermont ACEP.

Virginia

In 2023, the Virgina Chapter:

• Ended a state budget policy known as the “downcoding” provision that reduced 790 of the most common ED diagnoses to a Level 1 reimbursement of $15, costing Virginia ED groups millions annually. After years of VACEP advocacy, a federal judge ruled in favor of emergency physicians, saying the policy is not in accordance with federal law and the prudent layperson standard. ED groups are in the process of being reimbursed for downcoded visits.
• Passed legislation requiring off-duty police or security officers trained in de-escalation and restraint in every ED 24/7. The bill passed with bipartisan support and was the first of its kind in the nation.
• Prevented NPs from gaining the ability to practice independently with only two years of training.
• Passed a bill allowing paramedics to administer medications in an ED within their scope of training.
• Improved the process for emergency physicians to gain temporary medical detention orders.

Washington

The chapter’s biggest accomplishment was holding a re-envisioned and revitalized Annual Meeting at Suncadia Resort. This new, family-friendly location proved to be a hit with attendees and was accompanied by increased registration and exciting speakers on topics ranging from reproductive care in the ED to rural health. Additionally, in the chapter’s efforts to reengage membership, a new Membership Committee was established with the goal to make sure the chapter is meeting the needs of its members and demonstrating value. As part of the chapter’s outreach campaign, chapter leaders are working to directly engage EDs across the state. Legislatively, the chapter said goodbye to its lobbyist of many years and embarked on a new lobbying relationship with the Washington State Medical Society, an arrangement that will help facilitate the chapter’s access to legislators and increase its leverage on key issues. Through the generosity of its membership, WA ACEP supported two senior medical students going into EM to attend the ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference.