ACEP 2025 Impact Report

The ACEP 2025 Impact Report, “Forging Our Future,” highlights a year of aggressive advocacy with many wins for emergency physicians. We are protecting physician autonomy and strongly supporting new state laws limiting corporate interference in medicine. We led state and national efforts to tackle the boarding crisis, launched the Emergency Department Accreditation (EDAc) program, and much more.

“My term as president is laser-focused on ensuring that emergency physicians are respected for the care we provide, that we have the resources needed to provide that care, and that we are fairly reimbursed for that care,” said ACEP President L. Anthony Cirillo, MD, FACEP.  

The must-read report gives a strong overview of the value ACEP creates for members across the country.

“We exert the right kinds of pressure in the right places to get things done,” said Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, immediate past president of ACEP.

Joe Sachs, MD, FACEP of “The Pitt” Named to TIME 100 Health List

Joe Sachs, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and writer/executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning medical drama “The Pitt,” has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health list of influential leaders in health. Dr. Sachs was recognized for bringing the realities of emergency medicine to the public through authentic storytelling informed by frontline experience.

“‘The Pitt’ gives everyone a rare and authentic view of what it’s like to practice emergency medicine. This show offers a unique glimpse of the humanity of emergency care and what it takes to heal people within a broken system,” said ACEP President L. Anthony Cirillo, MD, FACEP. “The nation’s emergency physicians are incredibly proud of the show and grateful for the chance to be seen for who we are, the challenges we face, and the work we do every day.” 

Dr. Sachs recently joined Noah Wyle, executive producer, writer, director and star of “The Pitt,” and Mel Herbert, MD, FACEP, writer and advisor, for an ACEP25 exclusive panel discussion moderated by Dr. Cirillo.

NYACEP-Supported Law Strengthens ED Security and Violence Prevention

A new law championed by the New York Cchapter of ACEP (NYACEP) requires hospitals in the state to establish violence prevention programs. The legislation (A203A and S5294A), scheduled to take effect in September 2026, requires the programs to include annual workplace safety assessments in accordance with regulatory requirements established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and a security presence in the emergency department.

“NYACEP is extremely proud to advocate for this legislation, which is an enormous win for emergency medicine. Aligning with like-minded constituents strengthened our voice and helped us fight for emergency medicine and the patients we serve.

We still have more work to do. This is just the first of many steps needed to address workplace violence so emergency departments can be safe for faculty, staff, and patients.”

—Penelope Chun Lema, MD, FACEP, NYACEP President-Elect

The law passed due to coordinated advocacy efforts led by NYACEP. For more than three years, NYACEP worked with legislators in support of the bill, including providing input on key provisions. Nurses throughout the state, including the New York State Emergency Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association of New York, aligned with NYACEP’s efforts, and more than 70 emergency departments across the state endorsed the legislation through the NYACEP Workplace Violence Prevention Alliance.

The law is the latest in a series of victories that ACEP and ACEP chapters have spearheaded to confront the crisis of workplace violence in emergency departments. Most recently, ACEP convened a national coalition to urge CMS to issue clear guidance on anti-violence ED signage. ACEP is proud to lead the fight for protections for every member of emergency care teams nationwide.

Key ACEP Wins in 2026 HHS Funding

Congress approved funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that delivers major support for ACEP-led priorities, including:

• Reauthorization through 2030 of the Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, landmark legislation that ACEP championed and helped write to support physician mental health and prevent burnout and suicide.
• Workforce and care delivery support, including telehealth flexibilities extended through 2027 and No Surprises Act implementation funding.
• Enhanced patient access, with continued support for the ACEP-developed Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) program, emergency medical services for children, and other key services.
• CDC and NIH funding to bolster preparedness and prevention efforts.

These wins are the direct result of years of ACEP advocacy. Bipartisan support for ACEP priorities will strengthen public health, shore up the emergency medical workforce, and improve access to emergency care. Learn more.

ACEP Leadership & Recognition Opportunities Now Open

ACEP members have opportunities to get involved and recognize outstanding leaders in emergency medicine.

• ACEP Board of Directors: The ACEP Nominating Committee is accepting nominations for the national ACEP Board of Directors. Nominations are due March 16, 2026. Learn more.
• ACEP Committees: The selection process for national ACEP committees has begun, and all ACEP and EMRA members are encouraged to apply. Committee interest must be submitted by May 4, 2026. Learn more.
• ACEP Awards: Submit your nomination by March 16, 2026, to honor leadership, excellence, and professional contributions across the emergency medicine community. Learn more.
• ACEP Council Awards: Recognize the leaders shaping emergency medicine through the ACEP Council. Submit your nomination by March 16, 2026. Learn more.

Study Reveals Serious Stroke After ED Discharge for Dizziness is Rare

Diagnosing stroke in emergency department patients who present with dizziness as their primary symptom can be challenging, but a new study found that it is very uncommon for patients discharged from the emergency department for dizziness to have a subsequent stroke.

A new Annals of Emergency Medicine retrospective study assessed data from more than 77,000 adults who were discharged after coming to the emergency department with dizziness. Researchers tracked these patients for 30 days after discharge to see how many were later hospitalized with a stroke that caused disability or death.

The researchers found that only 0.12% were hospitalized for any stroke (about 1 in 830), and only 0.04% had a stroke resulting in disability or death (about 1 in 2,500). Of those who had strokes, very few required major acute stroke care interventions, and it might be surprising to some that the location of the stroke was not typically in the posterior fossa.

The results indicate that from the perspective of emergency physicians discharging patients with dizziness, the incidence of missed stroke, and particularly missed stroke that results in disability or death, is rare.

New Annals of Emergency Medicine Article Provides Model for Integrating Advocacy into EM Education and Practice 

Since emergency physicians care for all patients regardless of demographics, insurance status, or ability to pay, advocacy is a cornerstone of emergency medicine (EM) and a critical means of ensuring that the voices of patients and physicians alike are heard. 

A new article in Annals of Emergency Medicine shows how an academic children’s hospital established a formal “advocacy pillar” within their EM emergency medicine division to transform advocacy from an individual effort into a sustainable domain.  

The team worked to codify specific advocacy objectives and initiatives spanning division, hospital, community, national, and global levels to reflect the reality that many problems seen in the ED emergency department cannot be solved at the bedside alone. The division also established new leadership roles, dedicated committees, administrative support, and financial incentives to make the value of advocacy clear. Advocacy was deeply integrated into the division’s strategic plan alongside traditional pillars such as clinical operations, education, and research; as such, it was positioned as a core professional activity aligned with the mission and goals of EM . 

“Given that advocacy is a cornerstone of emergency medicine and that more physicians are investing time and energy into social emergency medicine, impacting patient care beyond the bedside, we hope that this work can act as a framework for other groups, divisions, and systems to integrate advocacy into their strategic plans and support physician-advocates’ passions and pursuits to better the practice of medicine and patient care,” said lead study author Matthew E. Lecuyer, MD, MPH.

The work offers a practical roadmap, demonstrating that advocacy can be measured and sustained. As emergency departments continue to serve as the front line for public health crises, the framework reinforces that supporting physician-advocates is essential to the sustainability of EM.