The findings suggested that the combination of virtual reality and classical music effectively managed pain and improved mood in tension-type headache patients.

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ACEP Reaffirms Emergency Physicians’ Duty to Uphold EMTALA, Provide Stabilizing Care in Emergencies

In response to this month’s rescission of the July 2022 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and pregnant patients, ACEP reiterated its unwavering commitment to the principles and obligations outlined in this longstanding federal law. For almost 40 years, EMTALA has served as the bedrock guarantee that anyone who seeks emergency care will receive stabilizing treatment, regardless of insurance status, ability to pay, or other circumstances. Regardless of variances in the regulatory landscape from one administration to another, emergency physicians remain committed not just by law, but by their professional oath, to provide this care.

“Emergency physicians are on the frontlines making difficult, time-sensitive decisions to save lives,” said ACEP President Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP. “EMTALA ensures that we can provide stabilizing care to any patient who needs it, including pregnant patients experiencing medical emergencies, and it’s more important than ever that we have its backing for our evidence-based medical decisions.”

ACEP urges policymakers and federal officials to continue to uphold and enforce EMTALA in a manner that protects patients and supports the clinical judgment and autonomy of emergency physicians.

“In every emergency department across the country, we will continue to do what we have always done: Provide the care necessary to stabilize our patients,” said Dr. Haddock. “That commitment is not optional—it is the law. All emergency physicians must be able to provide the highest quality medical care to pregnant patients without fear of legal consequences.”

Limiting Access to Vaccines Creates Avoidable Health Risks

ACEP issued a statement last week related to the scaling back of definitive recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines and decisions to curtail the federal role in funding and developing new vaccines and countermeasures for emerging infectious diseases. Emergency physicians—who stand on the frontlines of every major public health emergency—are alarmed that these changes could leave health care workers and their patients vulnerable. Ensuring early and sustained access to vaccines is essential to protect those most likely to face and contain outbreaks, such as those in emergency departments, which already operate under significant strain.

The abrupt narrowing of vaccine recommendations could jeopardize current patient safety and weaken our collective preparedness for future threats.