Aubri Carman won the AGEM abstract award for residents with her project:​ "Emergency Telemedicine Bundled with Embedded Staff Reduces Hospitalizations from Skilled Nursing Facilities"

In our nations capital, this May 2018, emergency physicians from around the country came together to advocate on behalf of patients.  Idealistic and inspired EPs rallied around several important and timely topics and brought concerns to Capitol Hill.  This year advocacy topics included opioid misuse, medication shortages and emergency preparedness.  The following are bills and congressional asks that were included as part of the advocacy efforts:
 
Opioid Crisis

• The Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act(H.R. 5187, S 2516)
  • Provides grants to help emergency departments and hospitals implement non-opioid evidence based pain management protocols
• The Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Room (POWER) Act  (H.R. 5176 S. 2160)
  • Provides grants to establish policies and procedures for initiating Medication-Assisted Treatment in the emergency department and to develop best practices to provide a “warm handoff” to appropriate community resources and providers to keep patients engaged in treatment

Shortages of Essential Emergency Medications

• The Government Accountability Office conducted interview with providers who reported that shortages led to delay in or rationing of care, difficulties finding alternative drugs, risk associated with medication errors, higher costs, reduced time for patient care and hoarding or stockpiling of drugs in shortage. 
• ACEP requires Members of congress sign on to the congressional letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottleib urging the FDA to convene the Drug Shortage Task Force, to determine root causes of drug shortagesand develop recommendations to Congress

Disaster Preparedness Medical Response

• ACEP urges reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA)in order to strengthening medical response capabilities
• Mission Zero Act (H.R. 880 S. 1022)makes military trauma teams available to civilian trauma centers, which would allow the teams to maintain their skills in between rotations to conflict areas, while providing much needed additional trauma care personnel for injured civilians.

Speakers from this years conference included Attorney General Vice admiral  Jerome M. Adams on the opioid crisis as well as appearances by Senator Cassidy (LA) and Representative Sinema (AZ!).  


You can find the most up-to-date information of topic specific advocacy supported by ACEP at the website below!
https://www.acep.org/advocacy/#sm.0000gjwtj01dv7euspxz2dks41n8p