In 2021, ACEP chapters were busy advocating for the specialty, hosting educational events, and continuing to support their members through the pandemic.

As we kick off 2022, the chapters were each invited to share their highlights from 2021 and what’s planned for this year.

Learn more about ACEP chapters, including how you can join local advocacy efforts. 

ALABAMA

The Alabama Chapter hosted the first in-person, post-COVID ACEP regional conference—the EMerald Coast Conference—in Destin, Florida, in June. Multiple hands-on workshops were provided as well as a special opportunity for advanced-level clinicians to participate in a procedural boot camp. Make plans to bring your family to Destin for this year’s event June 6–9, 2022. Learn more.

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ARIZONA

Arizona Chapter’s board member and state representative, Dr. Amish Shah, proposed legislation that was signed into state law and was also accepted as a Council resolution at ACEP21. It prohibits a third-party contractor from taking retaliatory action against a contracted health care clinician who reports an unlawful activity, policy, or practice to the contracting health care institution. 

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ARKANSAS

Arkansas Chapter leader testified against SB 289/Act 462: To Create the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act. This bill would allow clinicians and insurer’s to deny care or coverage to a patient based on the clinician or insurer‘s personal moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. The Arkansas Chapter believe this bill was too broad and would open the gate for legalized discrimination in medicine with little to no recourse for patients. The legislature passed the measure in spite of broad concerns from the Arkansas medical community over the bill’s language.

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CALIFORNIA

Due to advocacy by the California Chapter, state law now prohibits stand-alone psychiatric facilities from refusing to accept the transfer of a patient from an emergency department based on insurance status. The state budget also appropriated $40 million in grant funding for hospitals to hire behavioral health navigators in the emergency department, a follow-up to our successful campaign to secure $20 million in grants for emergency department substance use navigators.

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COLORADO

In 2020, Colorado ACEP created a COVID Task Force that involved associate and medical directors from across the state. The TF’s goal was to share information and brainstorm ways to help each other through the pandemic. In 2021, legislators and journalists became aware of this group and were eager to participate in informing the public, ensuring legislative priorities, and addressing imminent struggles. The group continued to evolve and is planning a summit in 2022.

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CONNECTICUT

The Connecticut Chapter worked with Gov. Ned Lamont to help protect physicians and frontline workers treating COVID-19 patients. As a result, Gov. Lamont’s Executive Orders No. 7U and No. 7V provided immunity from civil liability during the pandemic for physicians and other health care professionals; were instrumental in protecting the lives of health care workers, patients, and their families; and allowed Connecticut to maintain appropriate staffing levels.

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DELAWARE

The chapter is working to encourage advocacy in the next generation of emergency physicians. We have historically selected two to three residents in their senior year of training to serve as Delaware Chapter fellows and have also approved two annual scholarships to support URiM medical students rotating in emergency medicine at Delaware hospitals. 

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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The chapter held several events: an EM workforce townhall with Dr. Aisha Terry and Mr. Edward Salsberg as panelists, a virtual program directors panel in collaboration with the DC EM Medical Student Council, and an EM MAT waiver training course in collaboration with national ACEP and Providers Clinical Support System.

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FLORIDA

Celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2021, the Florida Chapter put together a three-part video project to commemorate the milestone. Titled 50 Years, 50 Voices, each video shares insights from those present in the early years of the specialty, those who’ve made vital impacts in our chapter, and those who are our newest leaders serving FCEP today. View all three videos.

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GOVERNMENT SERVICES

The Government Services Chapter is rolling out a new bi-directional communication platform, similar in function to Facebook, through Tradewing, which will allow our members to use a secure location online to share ideas, concerns, stories, and articles. The platform will be open to members only, and members can join groups based on service branch, areas of interest, and location.

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IDAHO

The emergency physicians of Idaho have continued to rise to the occasion and care for patients despite our state’s low vaccination rates, high hospital admission, and being on crisis standards of care. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones to COVID. We look forward to when we can gather in-person again and are grateful for all the hard work our colleagues have put forth toward our state in the darkest of times during the pandemic.

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ILLINOIS

In response to the murder of George Floyd and considering emergency medicine’s vital role in striving for equity in health care, the Illinois Chapter’s Social Emergency Medicine Committee presented a four-part webinar series titled “Structural Racism and Social Justice.” Speakers included Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, Dr. Karriem S. Watson, Dr. David Ansell, and Dr. Linda Rae Murray. The sessions are posted on the ICEP website.

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INDIANA

The chapter welcomed a new executive director, Cindy Kirchhofer, in May 2021 following the retirements of Nick Kestner, who had served as executive director since 1979, and Sue Barnhart, who was executive assistant for more than 25 years. Prior to joining INACEP, Kirchhofer was an Indiana House Representative for 10 years, and for six of those years, she served as the chair of the House Public Health Committee.

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IOWA

The Iowa Chapter voted to solicit chapter members to donate to a fund that would sponsor medical student involvement with the chapter and use the funds accumulated to pay for membership dues. The chapter will match any donations given to the Medical Student Fund.

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KANSAS

The Kansas Chapter has created an opportunity for young physician leaders to build skills in advocating for emergency physicians, their patients, and the public. The chapter has developed an internship to provide an active learning experience in leadership and advocacy for young emergency physicians. This opportunity will provide exposure to the KsACEP Board and Council activities as well as the ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference and the ACEP national meeting.

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KENTUCKY

The Kentucky Chapter was excited to host an in-person Annual Meeting on Nov. 18, 2021. The Schools of Medicine got together to have a Resident Simulation Battle of the Bluegrass event. We also had poster presentations from medical students across the state. Dr. Alicia Mikolaycik Gonzalez highlighted the success of the CA Bridge program, which was followed by a panel of statewide bridge clinic experiences. The day ended with a bourbon flight tasting and a tour of Castle & Key Distillery.

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LOUISIANA

The chapter successfully defended the practice of medicine and emergency medicine against scope creep by physician assistants and nurse practitioners. We plan to proactively pursue physician and patient safety–directed legislation in the next session. 

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MARYLAND

Maryland ACEP hosted virtual meetings with key legislators focusing on issues such as behavioral health and personal protective equipment. We were also successful maintaining the state Medicaid program’s E&M code payments at 93 percent of Medicare rates. In February 2021, our chapter president testified at the Judiciary Committee on a bill aimed at expanding existing liability protections for frontline workers during the pandemic. 

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MASSACHUSETTS

The Massachusetts Chapter held its Annual Meeting and Education Conference virtually on May 5, 2021. Member participation and attendance was double compared to our previous in-person event.

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MICHIGAN

The Michigan Chapter completed its three-year strategic plan in 2020 but was waylaid by COVID before getting back on track for 2021. MCEP is keeping true to the plan’s direction in reaching out to more members and prospective members with its virtual offerings and making all meetings and conferences hybrid to increase accessibility across the state.

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MINNESOTA

A mirror was instantly held up to each of us, demanding that we examine our own hearts in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in our state. The Minnesota Chapter held our first-ever health care equity virtual conference on April 19, 2021. We were impressed by the talented presentations from dedicated, erudite, and diverse emergency physicians who call Minnesota home. 

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MISSOURI

The Missouri Chapter held a hybrid Missouri Emergency Medicine Symposium in late May 2021. MOCEP also held the second annual Student Symposium on Emergency Medicine in early June 2021, also as a hybrid event. The Student Symposium included residency program round tables and a hands-on airway skills lab in addition to lectures on wellness, tips for students on rotations, and a highlight of several fellowship programs in our region. 

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MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi is grappling with critical issues at the intersection of scope of practice, task force, and training. The Mississippi Chapter has maintained a long partnership with our state medical association and the American Medical Association and defeated HB 1303 earlier this year, a bill that sought to let advanced practice professionals practice without any physician involvement.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

On Nov. 4, 2021, the New Hampshire Chapter held its annual LLSA training and testing virtually. On May 19, the chapter sponsored a dinner for faculty, residents, and medical students from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and more than 50 people attended the event. The outdoor dinner with a taco truck followed the annual Managing Medical Emergencies conference, which celebrated its 30th year.

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NEW MEXICO

The New Mexico Chapter has worked to improve access to resources for medication-assisted treatment for patients with opioid use disorder, specifically connecting emergency departments statewide to educate community partners through promotion of the New Mexico Bridge Project.   

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NEW JERSEY

The New Jersey Chapter used technology to its advantage during the pandemic through its ED Visit Program, Leadership Development Series and Residents Forum. The chapter was able to “visit” nine different departments during the pandemic and continues to add additional visits to the calendar.

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NEW YORK

The annual New York Chapter Scientific Assembly returned, safely and in person, to beautiful Lake George. Chapter leaders planned meticulously for many months under the dark shadow of uncertainty cast by an unpredictable pandemic, with the primary objective of maintaining the safety of our members. Through a vaccine requirement and adjustments to the physical space and program, the 2021 Scientific Assembly was a resounding success. 

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NORTH CAROLINA

Normally our annual conference is not the “highlight” of the year, but considering the last 18 months, it was so good to meet in person and enjoy time with our colleagues at the Coastal Emergency Medical Conference at Kiawah. We loved seeing our North Carolina friends and meeting fellow physicians in our neighboring states.

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NORTH DAKOTA

The North Dakota Chapter began collaborating with the University of North Dakota to host events that benefit medical students, encouraging involvement with emergency medicine and teaching them how to prepare for a long career in emergency medicine.

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OHIO

The Ohio Chapter released the 10th edition of the Dr. Carol Rivers’ Preparing for the Written Board Exam, a two-volume textbook written primarily for emergency physicians preparing for or taking a written board certification or recertification exam or in-training exams in emergency medicine. Initially created by Dr. Carol S. Rivers, a national leader in board review education, this book has long been the gold standard for a comprehensive yet concise review of emergency medicine in preparation for board exams.

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OREGON

The Oregon Chapter is ready to bring some levity into 2022. In addition to a dynamic lineup of local and national speakers across the traditional CME gamut, we are excited to bring Dr. Will Flanary, aka Dr. Glaucomflecken, to the keynote stage this February. He is an Oregon ophthalmologist who also moonlights as a popular comedian on Twitter and TikTok, bringing attention to issues such as balance billing, COVID morale, and the plights of being a medical student through his hilarious videos. As we prepare to roll up our sleeves for another legislative session in 2022 that will be sure to bring disagreements on vaccines, reimbursements, and possibly liability issues, we feel a little laughter will be a good thing. 

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PENNSYLVANIA

The Pennsylvania Chapter helped influence the COVID-19 response in our state, which included successfully advocating for personal protective equipment for all health care clinicians, successfully advocating for limited liability protections during COVID-19, and a social media campaign focused on COVID-19 vaccination education.

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PUERTO RICO

As a Puerto Rico Chapter initiative, the Emergency Medicine Chapter was reactivated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Puerto Rico (Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos). As part of this initiative, chapter leaders participated in a Senate meeting where discussions took place regarding the work, lives, and well-being of fellow physicians throughout the island. One of the resolutions approved included a list of regulations that went into effect in June 2020. Through this resolution, the chapter requested that all hospital-based specialties have a say in the development of the regulations that will define the operation of hospitals in the island and the lives and working conditions for physicians.

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RHODE ISLAND

Emergency physicians from the Rhode Island Chapter were instrumental in helping to pass a pilot program that directs the Rhode Island Department of Health to establish harm reduction centers (HRCs). These centers, also known as safe injection sites, are licensed, community-based resources for health screening, disease prevention, and recovery assistance for all people who use drugs. HRCs allow people to safely consume, under medical supervision, controlled substances that they bring with them.

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SOUTH CAROLINA

After a long year, the South Carolina Chapter was excited to see the return of the annual Coastal Emergency Medicine Conference at Kiawah Island. We were so excited to welcome everyone after the 2020 conference was canceled. Highlights of the conference included an ACEP update from current ACEP President Dr. Gillian Schmitz, the annual Tri-State Jeopardy Tournament, and the annual barbecue and oyster roast party. 

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TENNESSEE

The Tennessee Chapter hosted the EMerald Coast Conference Chapters’ candidate forum virtually on Aug. 25, 2021. Leaders from eight of the 10 EMerald Coast Conference chapters participated: Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, and Tennessee. All candidates for national ACEP office and Council leadership participated. A follow-up survey to the forum indicated that the participating chapter leaders believed the forum offered equitable access to the candidates, was unbiased, and was an important factor in their candidate selection during the 2021 Council meeting.

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TEXAS

A key highlight was the distribution of 300,000 N95 masks. These masks were given free to Texas Chapter members (some were asked to pay for shipping costs) due to our close relationship with the Texas Medical Association. These masks were hard to get during the start of the pandemic and were especially appreciated by members in rural areas. Dr. David Pinto, a Texas Chapter member who commuted each week from Austin to the Panhandle, took it upon himself to deliver hundreds of the masks during his travels. 

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UTAH

The Utah Chapter held its annual Utah Emergency Physician Summit, which featured Dr. Amal Mattu, Dr. Megan Ranney, and Dr. Jacob Avila as keynote speakers. We developed a task force focused on addressing protocolization of emergency department medical screening exams of arrested persons prior to being taken to correctional facilities (previously referred to as emergency department jail clearance) in Utah. We also held a statewide town hall meeting for emergency physicians regarding COVID best practices, featuring officials from the Utah Department of Health and one of our Utah congressmen. 

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VIRGINIA

The Virginia Chapter relaunched our podcast (Safety.Net). The podcast provides a detailed understanding of the issues through interviews with key experts in our state. The podcast format can easily fit into your busy schedule and long commute. Recently, we’ve uploaded podcasts on human trafficking, out-of-network billing, and the substitute decision-making algorithm we created for our chapter. Download our podcasts at www.bit.ly/vacepsafetynet.

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WISCONSIN

After years of grassroots advocacy efforts, the Wisconsin Chapter was finally able to receive its first increase in Medicaid reimbursement for emergency services approved in the biennial state budget. Wisconsin pays less than any other state for emergency medicine evaluation and management. This is the first increase in more than two decades for emergency physicians. Wisconsin Chapter members are currently working with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to provide input on how the additional $4.4 million increase in funding will be allocated among emergency department codes.

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WYOMING

The Wyoming Chapter is the smallest chapter with just under 50 members. Our state medical school is a member of WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) through the University of Washington School of Medicine. Wyoming medical students have a contract to come back and work in the state upon completing training elsewhere, or they owe the school $250,000. Unfortunately, we are short for emergency medicine positions and many WWAMI graduates will be completing their emergency medicine training soon. As a chapter, we met with various agencies to troubleshoot this employment crisis.