Join AK-ACEP Aug. 23 for a Screening of 24/7/365

Bear Tooth Theater
1230 W 27th Ave
Anchorage, AK
Aug. 23
Doors open at 12:30 pm; Show starts at 1 pm
Panel Discussion: 2-3 pm
24/7/365: The Evolution of Emergency Medicine

When you dial 911, someone picks up your call, an ambulance is dispatched, and you are speedily transported to an emergency room. Once there, a team of specially-trained emergency medicine doctors and personnel with an enormous amount of resources at their fingertips care for you. No one asks if you can pay. No one refuses to treat you if you cannot. A generation ago, it was completely different. There was no 911 system, there were no trained pre-hospital personnel, your “ambulance” may have been a hearse, and there may or may not have been any doctor at all in a bare basement room with leaky pipes at the hospital where you were taken.

24|7|365: The Evolution of Emergency Medicine chronicles the emergence of EMS and the specialty of Emergency Medicine, which became the 23rd recognized medical specialty only in 1979.

Panel Discussion

After the screening please join the chapter for a panel discussion featuring the documentary’s producers.

Reserve today!

Reserve your ticket now. The cost is free but a 99-cent processing fee per ticket may apply.

ED project forms Steering Committee and Clinical Consensus Group Subcommittee

On May 18, the ED Coordination Project will hold a joint meeting of the new Steering Committee and Clinical Consensus Group Subcommittee. The Steering Committee will oversee the implementation of Emergency Department Information Exchange (EDIE) system. The Clinical Consensus Subcommittee consists of clinical team members who provide operational guidance and best practice recommendations to the Steering Committee.

The hospital-based ED Coordination Project from SB 74 is a collaboration between ASHNHA, the Alaska Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the State of Alaska. We have a more-the-merrier philosophy and encourage engagement from those interested in the project. Invitations will start to go out next week. If you would like to serve on one of the committees, please contact connie@ashnha.com.

Steering Committee and Clinical Consensus Group Subcommittee Meeting

May 18, 2:30 – 4 p.m.

Alaska Regional Hospital

Classrooms 1 & 2 (map)

To join the webinar (outside Anchorage only): https://ashnha.adobeconnect.com/akerproject/  Select “Enter as a Guest” and enter your name to join the webinar. Once you enter the room you will be prompted with the call-in number or can type your phone number in and you will receive a call from the system.

If you cannot connect by webinar you can dial into the meeting by teleconference:  1-800-832-0736 Room Number: *4386043#

ED Coordination Project (EDCP) Moves Forward

The Emergency Department Coordination Project (EDCP) is a collaborative effort between the Alaska Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (AK-ACEP), the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA), and the State of Alaska to use an electronic information system in emergency departments to improve the effectiveness and delivery of care. The information system is part of Senate Bill 74 Medicaid Reform that passed last legislative session. The language in SB 74 is modeled after Washington’s ER is for Emergencies project that saved Washington State $33.6 million in one year. Learn more here. 

Patient Stories Needed TODAY

Dear Alaska ACEP membership,

I am writing to ask a few minutes of your time TODAY.

Chapter Past President Anne Zink and I met with Senator Murkowski’s health aide in Washington, D.C. last week at the ACEP Leadership & Advocacy Conference. We were discussing ways that we could assist in protecting our Alaska patients.  The repeal of ACA as currently being described will drastically hurt Alaskans access to medical care. See more information here.

We have been asked to provide patient stories where the benefits of the ACA helped  patients and ways that the current AHCA (American Health Care Act) in the House or the “Republican Plan” would hurt patients. Please take a moment to think of a case, and write a brief story and send it ASAP. Senator Murkowski’s office needs these stories this week as this is likely to come to the Senate quickly. She is specifically looking for cases where:

  • AHCA will hurt disproportionately Alaskans as it does not take into account higher Alaska cost and transportation issues.  (Basically a fixed rate per Medicare patient would come to the state).  See this article for more information.
  • Loss of protection for Essential Health Benefits like pregnancy which could not be purchased in Alaska prior to the ACA
  • For vulnerable adults, tax credit will not provide the same financial relief for the cost of healthcare as health-care subsides.
  • Older adults are already more challenging to care for in Alaska.  This population will be at further risk with the current AHCA plan.
  • 28 K Alaskan lives are now covered in Alaska because of Medicaid expansion which given our state budget would likely lose insurance coverage.  Who are these people and what does this mean.
  • The AHCA complicates the Medicaid enrollment process which will increase insurance gaps and hurt patients.  60 day retroactive enrollment and renewal every year should be maintained.

Thank you for your time making your patients voices heard.

Please send to Senator Murkowski’s office and please send a copy to us so we can track the stories and share as this debate is likely to not end soon.

You can email:
Chelsea_Holt@murkowski.senate.gov with a cc to benjamin.Shelton@mac.com

Thank you for your help,

Ben
Benjamin Shelton, MD, MPH, FACEP