With about 80 percent of the nation’s hospitals participating in the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey, the results are widely read by policymakers and health leaders.

“We know that boarding is a solvable problem if it is given sufficient attention as a patient safety issue,” said Christopher L. Moore, MD, a Connecticut ACEP member leading the efforts with Leapfrog.

Dr. Moore said that nobody should settle for a status quo that compromises quality of care, and that state level initiatives can lead to measurable change.

“There are untapped opportunities at the state level for emergency physicians to get involved,” Dr. Moore said. “These efforts have the potential to bring about public accountability and transparency and to look towards solutions.”

Connecticut ACEP members are prominent among those leading the way on boarding solutions. Dr. Moore is co-chair of a state government work group that encouraged new reporting requirements on boarding by Connecticut hospitals. The work group will submit a final report to the state on emergency department boarding and crowding, including proposed solutions, by January 2025. State-level initiatives can be complementary to national initiatives such as the Emergency Care Capacity and Quality measure, which is being considered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

ACEP Town Hall Offers Resources for Those Affected by NES Health Turmoil

ACEP continues to provide resources for emergency physicians affected by the financial turbulence at NES Health, a physician staffing firm with a presence in 35 emergency departments. In an email on November 22, NES informed its employees that it would stop doing business because it couldn’t meet its payment obligations.

ACEP held a town hall shortly before that announcement, directly connecting emergency physicians with the ACEP Board of Directors, as legal and insurance experts shared strategies to navigate the disruption. “We understand and share your frustration,” said ACEP President Alison J. Haddock, MD, FACEP. “We are taking action every day to make the work environment better for emergency physicians, regardless of who their employer is. This is not an acceptable situation. We want to be your advocates; to be a convener and bring people together to defend you and the hard work you do taking care of patients.”

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The town hall featured a discussion of legal principles, contract considerations, and insurance policy details to help emergency physicians address concerns and identify potential actions to stay protected when an employer fails to uphold their obligations. The general information conveyed during the town hall is not intended to serve as legal advice for specific individual circumstances.