Letter from the Chair

Welcome to the fall edition of the ACEP Democratic Group Practice Section Newsletter.  I don’t know about you, but as the leader of an independent, democratic emergency physician group, I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the forces that are outside of our group’s control; proposed federal legislation, payer reimbursement and negotiation tactics, predatory contract management group (CMG) tactics, increasing bad debt, health system demands, to name a few (big ones).  However, I have recently been buoyed by networking with the leaders of other big and small independent EM groups. 

We all face similar challenges, and we are all innovating with novel approaches and potential solutions to the challenges.  We are creating opportunities in response to the challenges; the old lemonade from lemons adage.  My hope is that the Democratic Group Practice Section of ACEP can be a forum for supporting each other, encouraging each other, and teaching each other.  I believe that emergency physicians are uniquely suited to adapt to healthcare changes, but we can’t do it alone.  As independent, democratic groups, we need each other.  Let’s find ways to work together.

I look forward to seeing you at the Democratic Group Practice Section meeting at ACEP19 on Monday, October 28 at 11:30 AM in Centennial Ballroom G at the Hyatt Regency in Denver.

Robert Thomas, MD, FACEP
Democratic Group Practice Section Chair