Decisions made by Congress, regulators, and policymakers directly shape our practice every day—how patients move through our emergency departments (EDs), whether we feel safe walking into a shift, and whether we can be compensated fairly for our work.  

When more than 450 emergency physicians showed up in force for the ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference (LAC) in Washington, D.C., the voice of ACEP and emergency medicine was heard loudly and clearly.

LAC attendees gather on the steps of the Capitol to kick off 287 congressional meetings. (Click to enlarge.)

This year, we told Congress the realities of emergency care, pressing all lawmakers on both sides of the aisle (in the House and Senate) for action. We took a new approach, encouraging flexibility for individual chapters to advocate for priorities and workforce needs based upon their relationship with their members of Congress, and whether that member has co-sponsored our key bills currently being considered. This year, we focused on major themes during our Day on the Hill:

• We called for an end to the boarding crisis, rallying support for the bipartisan Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC‑ED) Act.
• We demanded stronger workforce protections to prioritize the safety and autonomy of emergency physicians and care teams, including the Save Healthcare Workers Act, which would make violence against healthcare workers a federal crime.
• We strongly supported a ban on non-compete agreements through the Bipartisan Workforce Mobility Act and explained why emergency physicians must have due process at work through the Physician and Patient Safety Act.
• We asserted the need for smarter payment policies, including short- and long-term fixes to Medicare through adjustments to the Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization reform.

Kudos to the LAC Planning Workgroup and its chair, Dr. Matthew Rudy, who did an exceptional job making sure that LAC had something for everyone, regardless of experience level.

The First-Timer Primer, offered by the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association and ACEP’s Early Career Physician Section, armed physicians new to the advocacy arena with health policy details and training on how to maximize the effectiveness of Congressional Hill visits.

These training opportunities grow our pipeline of physician advocates, and there’s no doubt about it: The future of the specialty is bright. We hosted 198 LAC first-timers this year, including 114 residents and 19 medical students.