Ohio ACEP-Supported Opioid Reversal Drug Bill Passes

Thanks to extensive advocacy from ACEP’s Ohio chapter, the Ohio state legislature passed a new law aimed at preventing overdose deaths.

Ohio Senate Bill 137 will expand access to overdose reversal medication by requiring hospitals to provide naloxone upon the discharge of a patient with one or more symptoms of an opioid overdose or opioid use disorder (OUD).

The initiative was championed by the Naloxone Project, which was led by Dr. Jim Neuenschwander and Dr. Jason Kolb,) and supported by Ohio ACEP. Ohio ACEP Past Presidents Dr. Michael McCrea and Dr. Ryan Squier testified in support of the bill:

“Placing naloxone in the hands of at-risk patients upon discharge removes the current barriers to treatment and improves chances of seeking recovery.” —Dr. Michael McCrea

ACEP is proud to work with advocates across the country and lead the charge to reduce barriers to OUD treatment in the emergency department.

New Non-Opioid Analgesic Approved to Treat Acute Pain in the ED

The first non-opioid analgesic approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in more than two decades is a new option for pain management in emergency settings, according to a new JACEP Open paper.

Suzetrigine was recently approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe acute pain. It blocks pain signals in the peripheral nervous system before they reach the brain, so unlike an opioid, it does not typically have sedative or addictive properties.

“Early clinical trials suggest that the selective sodium channel inhibitor suzetrigine can provide clinically meaningful reductions in acute pain without signals of respiratory depression or abuse potential,” said lead study author Jace C. Bradshaw, MD. “The existing evidence is derived largely from post-surgical populations, and dedicated emergency department studies are needed to define its effectiveness, safety, and role within multimodal opioid-sparing analgesia strategies. However, current signs point to suzetrigine’s place as a helpful new tool in the EM pain management toolbox.”

The drug could help emergency physicians continue to minimize opioid use, and will benefit from dedicated study in the emergency department (ED). Heightened awareness of opioid overuse has already led to a shift in clinical practice among emergency physicians; another recent JACEP Open paper indicated that from 2018 to 2020, the number of board-certified physicians prescribing opioids decreased by 21.6 percent.

Building a Sustainable Career in Emergency Medicine: What to Ask Before Signing a Contract

When selecting their first — or next — emergency medicine (EM) job, physicians increasingly recognize that although it is crucial to consider salary, schedule, and location, they must also weigh the workplace systems that allow for meaningful, sustainable practice.

That was the focus of the January 2026 ACEP webinar, “Choosing Your First — or Next — EM Job: Non-Negotiables for Well-Being and Career Sustainability,” led by Diana Savitzky, MD, Chair of the ACEP Professional Wellness Section; Jennifer Goebel, DO, FACEP, Chair-Elect of the ACEP Professional Wellness Section; and Laurel Barr, MD, FACEP, Chair of the ACEP Young Physician Section. The panel outlined strategies for evaluating job opportunities through the lens of well-being and career longevity.

Wellness Is a Structural Issue

The discussion was grounded in the Stanford Model of Occupational Well-Being, a framework indicating that well-being is driven by three interrelated domains — culture of wellness, workplace efficiency, and individual factors — and that organization-wide changes are needed to foster fulfillment and reduce burnout.

Dr. Savitzky shared a telling example of a colleague who dismissed “wellness” as individual resilience tactics like yoga and meditation. “But of course, you need things to work well at work, otherwise it’s going to frustrate you, or it’s going to lead you to be unhappy and burnt out,” she said.

For years, ACEP has led efforts to address physician well-being as a structural issue, advocating for systemic solutions to burnout and mental health challenges in EM. ACEP was a driving force behind the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, landmark federal legislation passed in 2022 that provided more than $100 million for evidence-based mental health services, suicide prevention training, and physician support programs nationwide. In February 2026, ACEP’s advocacy helped secure the law’s reauthorization through 2030.

The structural focus is also reflected in the work of ACEP’s Professional Wellness Section and Well-Being Committee, which have developed resources such as the Well Workplace Policy Statement, the Physician Wellness Hub, and peer-support initiatives aimed at strengthening workplace culture and workflow.

To help emergency physicians considering a career move find workplaces that truly prioritize wellness, the panel outlined five key factors from the ACEP Well Workplace Policy to consider.

#1 – Safe, Well-Staffed, and Well-Resourced Emergency Departments

Safety, support, and resources in the emergency department (ED) are foundational to patient care and physician well-being, but they can mean different things to different physicians. The panelists shared some of their own thresholds: Dr. Goebel did not want single coverage work, Dr. Savitzky prioritized pediatric-trained nurses, and Dr. Barr wanted reliable radiology coverage.

They also offered ACEP’s Emergency Department Accreditation (EDAc) standards as a benchmark. Physicians can compare potential workplaces against the standards and define their own must-haves before signing a contract.

#2 – Fair and Flexible Scheduling

Fairness and transparency in scheduling can be more meaningful than the number of work hours or specific pattern of shifts. Dr. Savitzky previewed findings from a forthcoming ACEP Professional Wellness Section study showing that physicians consistently valued schedules that were fair, flexible, and informed by other physicians.

And priorities can evolve. Dr. Barr described how weekend work expectations became a deciding factor in career moves as her family responsibilities changed. A schedule that adapts to life stages can improve long-term suitability.

#3 – Supportive Leadership

Physicians need leaders who back them during clinical conflicts, address barriers on shift, and create space for professional growth. EDs that support mentorship pathways and meaningful work can also boost work satisfaction because they send a strong signal that physicians are more than just shift coverage.

“We want to keep learning and evolving, so working in a department where you’re surrounded by people that elevate you, whether that’s through mentorship or leadership opportunities or the ability to build something new, is very important,” said Dr. Goebel.

#4 – Workplace Efficiency

Poorly designed electronic medical record (EMR) workflows, documentation practices, and departmental processes increase stress and erode morale. Asking whether physicians are involved in workflow decisions and how technology is used to support their work can reveal how much an ED values operational efficiency, the panelists said. Physician input into these decisions preserves autonomy and clinical satisfaction.

#5 – Robust Wellness Culture

The panel emphasized that EDs that participate in initiatives such as the ACEP Emergency Medicine Wellness Center of Excellence Award demonstrate intentionality about physician wellness. “Do they measure well-being? That speaks volumes to whether they’re paying attention to it,” said Dr. Savitzky.

“These things don’t happen by accident. They happen with intentional actions, with structure and accountability. Making sure that there is a culture of wellness goes a long way,” Dr. Goebel added.

Emergency Physician Named Health Commissioner for New York City

Dr. Martin

Alister Martin, MD, MPP, an emergency physician at Mass General Hospital, was appointed commissioner of New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the mayor’s office announced earlier this year. The role lets Dr. Martin focus his lens on health care and public service in his hometown where he’ll oversee the city’s public health apparatus, manage disease outbreaks and support the mayor’s pledge to give every New Yorker access to affordable, high-quality health care.

A native of Queens, Dr. Martin has brought health care and public policy together in the past, including as founder of Vot-ER, a nonpartisan voter registration initiative, and leader of A Healthier Democracy, a health care incubator organization designed to serve the needs of vulnerable patients.

ACEP Will Not Endorse New Sepsis Guidelines from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign

After a thorough and comprehensive review by a panel of experts convened from the membership of the College, ACEP informed the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) that ACEP will not endorse the organization’s latest update to guidelines for treatment of sepsis in emergency departments (EDs).

The decision not to endorse the guidelines was based on concerns about conflicting guidelines for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients, and a belief that the guidelines developed do not fully reflect the most up-to-date and reality-based approach to the care of all patients in the ED, including those with sepsis.

In addition, ACEP also remains deeply concerned that the absence of emergency physician organizational involvement in the governance structure of the SSC serves to limit the perspectives offered by practicing emergency physicians in the United States when guidelines are being developed.

While ACEP does have individual representatives involved in specific writing groups within the project, the governance structure is comprised of physician representation from the specialty of critical care medicine alone. Given that the ED  environment is unique and faces incredible day-to-day challenges of hospital crowding/boarding and workforce shortages, ACEP believes that any guideline recommending care of patients in the ED  should be based upon the realities of the practice care environment in which they are implemented. While acknowledging the importance of caring for patients with sepsis, the ED  is also charged with caring for patients with many other critical and life-threatening conditions. For example, there appears to be little attention to the harm that aggressive fluids and antibiotic treatments can cause when applied within too broad a population just to meet apparently arbitrary time requirements, particularly in the adult guidelines.

For the first time, there are different guidelines for pediatric and adult patients. The guidelines for pediatric and adult patients were not aligned regarding both clinical treatment and operational pathways. ACEP believes that the recommended implementation of different clinical guidelines, for the same clinical condition, could lead to confusion among ED staff and  potential patient safety issues. In addition, ACEP is worried that the focus of the SSC is strictly on those patients with sepsis while appearing to ignore the potential harm that the guidelines might cause for patients without sepsis.

The ACEP-convened expert panel provided direct feedback, with referenced citations of the published literature on sepsis, in response to the original draft guidelines. The concerns and recommendations for changes were acknowledged. A revised version of the guidelines was provided for review by ACEP. However, the final version that was developed did not adequately address the key concerns that had been identified in a manner that reflects the reality of practice within EDs in the United States.

ACEP will continue to work to ensure that guidelines developed for the care of patients with sepsis are based on the strongest and most up-to-date science and developed to ensure ease and effectiveness of implementation, while also reflective of the experience and realities of practicing emergency physicians.

ACEP Advocacy Win: DEA Issues Long-Awaited EMS “Standing Orders” Final Rule

In a long-awaited victory, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued the Registering Emergency Medical Services Agencies under the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of the 2017 Final Rule to ensure continued access to pain and anti-seizure medications for patients experiencing medical emergencies.

This regulation implements the ACEP-supported “Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017,” originally sponsored by one of ACEP’s longtime legislative champions, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC). Signed into law on November 17, 2017, the measure addressed issues regarding how EMS agencies store, handle, and administer controlled substances. The final regulation explicitly permits physician medical directors to issue standing orders to EMS personnel so that they may administer controlled substances to their patients.

ACEP was largely supportive of the DEA’s proposed rule issued in 2020 but did provide the agency with technical and clarifying comments, many of which were accepted in the final rule. Of note, the DEA agreed with our suggestions to more accurately reflect the way that EMS agencies operate throughout the country, and ease burdensome recordkeeping requirements to provide greater logistical flexibility — especially important for EMS in rural areas.

ACEP and National Health Care Groups Issue Joint Statement on Pediatric Readiness in Emergency Departments

An estimated 2,000 children could be saved if emergency departments follow a set of new recommendations focused on caring for young people in emergencies, leading organizations in emergency medicine stated. ACEP, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the American College of Surgeons outline critical steps that emergency departments can take to be ready to care for sick or injured children.

“More than 80 percent of children who come to an emergency department go to a local community hospital, not a children’s hospital,” said Kate Remick, MD, FAAP, FACEP, FAEMS, lead author of the statement. “Every emergency department should be fully prepared for kids, no matter how often they see them. These recommendations save lives.”

The statement informs the work of the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP), an initiative of the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program — part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration — in collaboration with multidisciplinary organizations. The NPRP supports more than 5,000 emergency departments nationwide to improve their pediatric capabilities through self-assessments, benchmarking, checklists, quality dashboards, and other resources.

Updates to the previous recommendations include decision support tools; nationally vetted pediatric quality measures; an emphasis on a multidisciplinary review surrounding pediatric deaths and adverse events for local quality improvement; a deeper focus on pediatric mental health; reinforcement of the importance of immediately available, portable, weight-based pediatric resuscitation carts and use of medication dosage tools; and broader expectations for pediatric considerations in disaster preparedness.

The previous assessment published in 2023 noted improvements in five of six categories measured since 2013, including an increase in the number of emergency departments with pediatric equipment and supplies (90 to 97 percent) and the number of emergency departments with a pediatric mental health care policy (44 to 73 percent).

This year’s nationwide NPRP Assessment period starts on March 3 and runs through May 31. Emergency departments will be assessed on a 100-point scale and receive a score for benchmarking and a gap report identifying areas for improvement. 

“The 2026 assessment is our chance to see where we stand — and where we can do better,” said Marianne Gausche-Hill, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FAEMS, and a statement co-author. “The NPRP Assessment helps emergency care teams lead efforts to quantify the progress made and improvements needed to optimize emergency care for children. Further, participation in pediatric readiness efforts is among [the] criteria for ACEP’s ED Accreditation (EDAc) program, which demonstrates a commitment to quality and safety.”