Non-Stop: A Decade of Integrating Health Systems Science Into Emergency Medicine Residency

Abstract

Background

Despite the growing importance of Health Systems Science (HSS), many emergency medicine (EM) residency programs lack a formal, comprehensive curriculum for health policy and advocacy.

Methods

We developed a longitudinal Health Policy and Advocacy curriculum by mapping core components, based off those originally proposed in the New England Journal of Medicine, to ACGME milestones. The components were refined through expert ranking by physicians attending the ACEP Teaching Fellowship to identify high-yield topics specific to emergency medicine, such as the health care safety net, medical malpractice, and physician reimbursement.

Results

The resulting curriculum encompasses six key domains: adverse events, medical errors and malpractice; health care safety net; quality indicators, measures, and outcomes; physician reimbursement; U.S. health care system, financing, and delivery; and the business of emergency medicine. Curricular implementation utilizes several different teaching models, incorporating asynchronous modules, didactic sessions, a coding and billing workshop, and a four-hour mock trial.

Conclusions

Integrating a structured health policy curriculum into EM training provides residents with essential non-clinical skills that are increasingly necessary to effective practice in today's health care environment. This innovation addresses a critical educational gap, preparing residents to become vocal advocates for their patients and the profession.