Newly Formed AAEM Partnership Expands Network of Democratic Practices

Being a voice of advocacy for equitable, democratic, physician-owned practices has been one of the many focuses for the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) since its inception. However despite their efforts, physician-owned practices are under significant threat. 

Small practices often have difficulty developing and maintaining the infrastructure needed to be successful given the new reality of health care reform, accountable care organizations and value-based purchasing. As a result, large for-profit emergency physician contract management groups have been increasingly using their financial clout to acquire smaller practices.

AAEM President, Mark Reiter, MD, MBA, has long felt a solution was needed to help local, democratic practices prosper in the current healthcare environment. His concept is now becoming a reality, as this week AAEM announced a new initiative that strives to make ownership a realistic option for more emergency physicians.

The Burden of Physician Burnout: Why The Rates Continue to Rise

It's no new fact that physicians experience burnout at a higher rate than the rest of the U.S. population -- 37.9% compared to 27.8%, according to a recent study in Achieves of Internal Medicine -- and that emergency medicine physicians rank higher than any other medical specialty. What's even more concerning, physicians, especially residents, also report higher suicide rates than the general population, however only 26% of physicians who report suicidal thoughts seek help.

Top 5 Thrill Seeking Experiences in Las Vegas

The thrills in Vegas don't come solely from games of chance. Far from your regular Six Flags experience, Las Vegas is its its own electrifying amusement park, and most of it is outside of the gaming rooms.

From racing around a track in an exotic car like Jeff Gordon, to dropping 855 feet off the side of a building, to loop-de-looping through a massive replica of the New York City skyline, these Las Vegas thrill rides offer something for everyone’s brand of excitement.

Advantages of Joining a Democratic Emergency Medicine Group

When considering new opportunities, emergency physicians have a variety of different practice models to choose from. Emergency medicine practice models offer the chance to become an employee of a private group, corporate group or hospital. But how is one expected to choose the right practice model for them?

Emergency Physician Supply and Demand: Migration Trends

Historically, when asked which states most providers consider outside of training, or in general, the standard answer was that they either were born/have family in a particular state, trained in a particular state, or were considering one of the “big five”. The “big five” consists of California, Florida, New York, Texas, and Washington. It is no coincidence that these are among the five most populous states with some of the biggest economies in the country.

Today however, the ever changing landscape within healthcare is reshaping the marketplace like never before.  Emergency medicine is reacting to two main contributors to physician migration trends, including the national climate over the last several years and the introduction of  freestanding emergency departments that are rapidly expanding in a few key states.