ML: My primary research interest has been identifying ways to demonstrate and improve the value of emergency care. My EMF Health Policy Scholarship project is to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of ACEP’s Choosing Wisely recommendations, with the goal of promoting a greater adoption of these value-based practices. This project allows me to combine methods such as decision analysis and large data base analysis to really understand the downstream financial implications of some of the routine tests and procedures that are performed in the ED. It’s critical that we demonstrate that the EM community is proactive about reducing avoidable health care costs and adding value.

“It’s critical that we demonstrate that the EM community is proactive about reducing avoidable health care costs and adding value.” —Michelle Lin, MD, MPH

SA: How do you think this scholarship will affect your future?

ML: First of all, I’m incredibly fortunate to receive guidance from a stellar team of highly accomplished senior advisers who are really invested in helping me finish my project but also helping me flourish as a health policy investigator. Also, I’ve been exposed to meetings such as the EMAF Board of Governors’ calls. For example, I learned about some of the policy priorities of the EM community, and I found that the topic of how emergency medicine is going to fit into alternative payment models came up repeatedly. As a result of those conversations, I’ve recently submitted another EMF health policy grant in conjunction with my mentor, Jay Schuur, MD, MHS, to study how emergency medicine is going to fit into these payment models. Thank you again to EMF and EMAF for this opportunity.

VF: I think that the more evidence the folks that go to the Hill and fight for emergency medicine have, the more credibility we have in our arguments. We’re telling them things they don’t necessarily want to hear. It’s important. We don’t have a health care system; we have a health care paradigm. The biggest driver in the change of that paradigm is all about cost. As much as we want to talk about the quality, quality is assumed. I think that our challenge for the future is to use health policy research to help us tell these stories and help shape future change.