Board of Directors Meet in Seattle

The American College of Emergency Physicians Board of Directors spent their first day in Seattle in an open meeting at the Sheraton Hotel. The Board considered several items of business, including reports from leadership, work products from various committees, and approval of policies. The meeting included remarks from Dr. Gary Starr from the Emergency Medicine Resident’s Association, Ms. Mason, RN, the President of the Emergency Nurses Association and Mr. Nix, the President of the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants.

One of the very active discussions involved the draft proposal of the Emergency Patient Bill of Rights. Essentially, the document expresses the belief that crowded emergency conditions and patient boarding are interfering with provision of emergency care. In it, ACEP presents the belief that emergency patients have the following rights:

1. Right to Emergency Care
2. Right to Privacy
3. Right to Be Seen in a Reasonable Amount of Time
4. Right to Health Plan Coverage Based on Symptoms (Not final diagnosis)
5. Right to Move to an Inpatient Area Once Admitted to the Hospital
6. Right to Access On-Call Specialty Consultants

Dr. Linda Lawrence, who becomes ACEP President on Sunday, will be meeting with media representatives on Tuesday to discuss the details of these rights and the conditions that have led to their development.

The Board passed the following Clinical Policies:

1. Critical Issues in the Sedation of Pediatric Patients in the ED
2. Critical Issues in the Management of Adult Patients Presenting to the ED
3. Use of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate Monitoring for the Management of Asthma in Adults in the Emergency Department.

The Board concluded it’s business day by meeting with the officers of the American Board of Emergency Medicine officers.

The end of the business meeting is not the end of the day, though. The Steering Committee met to finalize plans for the Council meeting, entertain emergency resolutions, and to make changes to the Council Standing Rules.

Following the Steering Committee meeting, the New Councilors were given a brief orientation session by the Council Speaker, Todd Taylor; the Council Vice-Speaker, Bruce McLeod; the Chair of Tellers and Credentials, Bob Malinowski; and the Parliamentarian, Jim Slaughter. A short reception was held welcoming the New Councilors to the ACEP.

It was a whirlwind day, and is just the first of many. Stay tuned for the rest…..