The Council also adopted a resolution calling for ACEP to promote public education and support legislative efforts to ban or limit the use of mobile devices or other distractions while driving.

Additionally, the Council agreed to give a seat to the Council of Residency Directors. This representative will join during the 2011 Council meeting.

NEMPAC Receives Record Support

NEMPAC, ACEP’s Political Action Committee, reported record fundraising efforts during the Scientific Assembly in Las Vegas, perhaps spurred by the then-upcoming November elections that many felt could change the political landscape in Washington, DC.

Members of the ACEP Board of Directors and Council donated more than $155,000 at the meeting. An additional $5,000 was donated at the NEMPAC Booth in the Exhibit Hall. Coupled with the $681,000 raised from ACEP’s general membership prior to the meeting and the collective contributions from individuals in physician group campaigns, NEMPAC is well on its way to exceeding the record of $1,167,342 set in 2009.

Outstanding EM group efforts during Scientific Assembly included CEP America’s contribution of $100,000 through its advocacy fund; EMP’s collection of $106,000 from its individual ACEP members; TeamHealth’s donations of $50,000 from its ACEP members and goal of $100,000 by year’s end; and EMA’s NEMPAC campaign among its eligible ACEP member physicians with a target of $60,000 by year’s end.

NEMPAC also is conducting an ongoing campaign with the general ACEP membership to reach this year’s goal of $1.25 million. A memberwide survey and solicitation from NEMPAC has been mailed.

NEMPAC is currently the fourth-largest physician specialty PAC behind the anesthesiologists, the orthopedic surgeons, and the radiologists – with a goal to become No. 1.

With the ongoing health care reform implementation process, it is more important than ever that emergency medicine has a strong PAC that gives the specialty an important voice and an influence in DC.

New Speakers Forum Winner Announced

Tina M. Latimer, MD, MPH, from the Department of Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, was honored with the Rising Star Speaker Award during Scientific Assembly.

The award is given as part of the annual New Speakers Forum, where the Educational Meetings Committee gives the opportunity for fresh talent to be evaluated and considered to speak formally for the College at future meetings.

Dr. Latimer gave a 15-minute presentation on “Avoiding Harm During Vascular Access Procedures."