Advocacy & Key Issues

As a dedicated advocate for emergency physicians, ICEP is unwavering in its commitment to supporting, developing, and amplifying their voices.

Emergency physicians in Illinois grapple with numerous pressing challenges, such as hospital boarding/crowding, violence against healthcare workers, workforce, out-of-network billing, and more.

ICEP is dedicated to fostering and nurturing connections with aligned organizations and fellow partners, contributing to the advancement of emergency medicine and enhancing the well-being of the patients under their care.

Key Issues:

Patient Boarding – Patient boarding is a public health emergency and systemic crisis. Emergency physicians are being forced to treat patients in the waiting room itself—where lack of privacy, equipment, and physical space is greatly reducing the quality of care that can be provided.

Protecting Victims – ICEP is dedicated to helping victims. ED physicians are on the frontlines of dealing with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and therefore have a strong desire to protect these individuals from experiencing further harm and ensure they have recourse after a crime is committed.

Emergency Department (ED) Violence – ED violence adds pressure to an already understaffed emergency medical system, causing further staffing shortages and dangerous gaps in care.

Scope of Practice – The gold standard for ED care is that provided by an emergency physician. Regardless of where a patient lives, everyone who visits the ED deserves to have access to the highest quality care delivered by emergency physician-led care teams.

Medicaid Reimbursement – Despite nominal increases, Medicaid reimbursement rates still fail to equitably reflect the important services provided by emergency physicians (EPs).

ICEP Advocacy Issue Papers/Handouts

• Emergency Room Boarding
• Emergency Department Violence
• HB 4469 – Karinas Bill
• Medicaid Reimbursement
• Prescription Monitoring Program
• Scope of Practice

Share with Us!
What issues affecting our practice of emergency medicine and our patients would you like to see us advocating for?

More Resources:

• ACEP Federal Advocacy Overview
• Find Your Local State Representative
• Illinois General Assembly