American Academy of Emergency Medicine

American Academy of Emergency Medicine
Name	American Academy of Emergency Medicine
Founded	1993
Founder	Jay Kaplan
Headquarters	Irving, Texas
Fields	Emergency medicine

American Academy of Emergency Medicine The American Academy of Emergency Medicine is a professional association founded in 1993 to represent physicians practicing emergency medicine. It operates alongside organizations such as American College of Emergency Physicians, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, American Board of Emergency Medicine, and Association of American Medical Colleges in shaping standards for clinical practice, education, and policy affecting emergency care. The academy engages with entities including American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and state medical boards.

History

The organization was established in the early 1990s amid dialogues involving leaders from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and regional systems such as Kaiser Permanente and HCA Healthcare. Founding figures drew on traditions from institutions including Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Early interactions included collaboration with specialty groups like American Board of Medical Specialties, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, and stakeholders including the American Hospital Association. The academy’s trajectory intersects with events such as the expansion of Health Maintenance Organization Act, regulatory shifts following the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, and public health responses to crises like the H1N1 influenza pandemic and COVID-19 pandemic.

Mission and Activities

The academy’s mission emphasizes clinical excellence, physician advocacy, and patient safety, aligning with priorities of Institute of Medicine (now National Academy of Medicine), Joint Commission, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Activities include professional development programs coordinated with organizations such as American Board of Medical Specialties, collaboration with National Quality Forum, and partnerships with payers including Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and private insurers like Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The academy contributes to guideline development alongside specialty societies including American College of Surgeons, American Thoracic Society, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Surgeons General advisory groups.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises physicians credentialed by bodies such as the American Board of Emergency Medicine, American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine, and salaried staff from systems like Veterans Health Administration, Mount Sinai Health System, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Governance employs structures drawing on models from organizations such as American Medical Association House of Delegates and boards similar to American College of Cardiology. Elected leaders often have academic affiliations with institutions like University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, and University of Michigan Medical School. Committees interact with regulators including Food and Drug Administration and legislative bodies such as the United States Congress.

Education and Certification

The academy provides continuing medical education in formats used by Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and aligns curricula with milestones from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. It organizes courses parallel to offerings by Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and exam preparation resources akin to those from American Board of Medical Specialties and National Board of Medical Examiners. Training programs are coordinated with residency sites affiliated with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Emory University School of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, and other centers. The academy addresses competencies referenced by World Health Organization emergency care frameworks.

Advocacy and Policy

Advocacy efforts engage with federal agencies such as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, and congressional committees including United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce and United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The academy partners with coalitions including American Hospital Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, National Rural Health Association, and patient advocacy groups such as American Heart Association. Policy initiatives relate to payment models like those promoted by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and public health preparedness in coordination with Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Disaster Medical System.

Research and Publications

The academy disseminates clinical findings, practice advisories, and position statements in venues comparable to journals such as Annals of Emergency Medicine, Journal of Emergency Medicine, Academic Emergency Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA. It supports research collaborations with institutions like National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and academic centers including Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Topics include emergency care delivery, crowding studied alongside Institute for Healthcare Improvement, disaster response research tied to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and health services investigations in partnership with RAND Corporation.

Notable Initiatives and Awards

Initiatives have included clinical practice advisories, quality improvement campaigns in concert with National Quality Forum and Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and advocacy campaigns involving American Medical Association. Awards and recognitions parallel honors from entities such as Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, American Board of Medical Specialties, National Institutes of Health Director's Awards, and institutional teaching awards from Harvard Medical School. Collaborations extend to international organizations including World Health Organization and philanthropic partners like Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Category:Medical associations based in the United States