Message from the Chair-elect

Hello, and thank you for your membership and participation in our section. As Chair-elect I want to introduce myself, welcome you to our section, encourage your participation and poll our members to understand the value-added benefits that would be of most interest to our colleagues.

As a practicing emergency physician over the last 25 years, I have worked in various practice settings ranging from Level One trauma centers to academia to busy suburban facilities to Free Standing Emergency Centers (FSECs). Working in FSECs over the last six years has allowed me to take more time with my patients, focus on maximizing the patient experience, exercise more control over my work-life balance, and has resulted in improved career satisfaction and longevity. I hope it has been as positive an experience for you!

As the medical industry continues to evolve so does the future delivery of emergency care in the United States. As stewards of that care we must be intimately involved in shaping the future of emergency medicine. This is effectively achieved through the practice of organized medicine. We need to get the attention of the media and get involved legislatively to assure continued access and choices for our patients.

Physicians and entrepreneurs alike agree the long-term feasibility of FSECs primarily depends on how third-party payors will provide reimbursement. As a professional organization, we need to stand in solidarity to educate payors, legislators, and healthcare consumers that FSECs are, in fact, cost effective, offer patients access to vital healthcare resources, have lower admission rates, and are deemed highly satisfying by patients. We also need to educate health care consumers that we have more extensive clinical capabilities than urgent care centers.

How can this ACEP Section best meet your needs and goals? Legislative updates? Media talking points? Quarterly cases presented in M&M fashion? I would love to hear from you and challenge you to recruit as many physician colleagues as possible to become involved to further facilitate our long term goals- providing state of the art, compassionate, episodic emergency care in a Neiman Marcus like setting where happy physicians & staff lead to the most happy and well taken care of patients! Please feel free to contact me.

I look forward to seeing you in October at Scientific Assembly in the beautiful Mile High city of Denver!

Be well & happy,

Angela Straface, MD, FACEP