ACEP Wellness Award - Wellness Section Newsletter Jan 2026:

Applications Now Open!

As we begin the new year and renew our commitment to supporting clinician well-being, we are proud to highlight one of the most meaningful recognitions offered within our specialty: The Emergency Medicine Wellness Center of Excellence Award.

This award celebrates emergency medicine departments, groups, and clinical sites that demonstrate true leadership in creating a healthy, safe, and sustainable work environment for their clinicians.

What Is the ACEP Wellness Center of Excellence Award?

This prestigious award honors organizations that exemplify excellence in workplace wellness practices.

The recipient receives:

• A formal award plaque to display in their department
• Their name engraved on a master plaque at ACEP Headquarters
• Recognition at the ACEP Wellness Section meeting at the annual ACEP Scientific Assembly
• Promotion on the ACEP website and in ACEP-wide communications
• Inclusion in ACEP’s broader annual awards recognition events

This award is more than symbolic—it's a national acknowledgment that an institution has committed to building a culture where emergency physicians and staff can thrive.

Award Criteria

The Wellness Center of Excellence Award is grounded in the Well Workplace Policy and evaluated across seven (7) key components. While no institution is expected to be “perfect,” awardees demonstrate intentional effort, strong infrastructure, and visible outcomes across the following domains:

1. #2- Facility Amenities
   Availability and upkeep of essential spaces such as lactation rooms, break rooms, and functional charting areas.
2. #3- Workplace Safety & Violence Prevention
   Clear, intentional policies that protect clinicians and patients, focused on safety and violence mitigation.
3. #6- Mental Health & Early Recognition
   Programs addressing early recognition of distress, mental health concerns, and physician impairment—including peer support and EAP access.
4. #14- Burden Reduction (Administrative Tasks)
   Efforts to minimize unnecessary administrative load, enhance EMR usability, and support off-shift paid charting.
5. #16- Wellness Evaluation & Accountability
   Regular, anonymous data collection with actionable feedback and leadership accountability.
6. #18- Wellness Committees & Programs
   Active committees that design, implement, and assess wellness initiatives.
7. #21- Schedule Optimization
   Thoughtful staffing and scheduling practices that promote work-life balance and reduce burnout.

Celebrating Past Recipients

Each year’s award winners serve as models for the specialty, demonstrating what is possible when wellness becomes a strategic priority.

2024 – Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital

Their innovative, system-wide initiatives—highlighted in their award video—showcase a deeply integrated approach to wellness.

2025 – University of Pennsylvania

UPenn’s commitment to safety, transparency, and data-driven wellness initiatives set a new benchmark for academic emergency medicine.

Past Honorees:

• 2021 – Indiana University
• 2022 – Riverside Community Hospital at UC Riverside
• 2023 – University of Cincinnati
• 2024 – Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital
• 2025 – University of Pennsylvania

Judging Process

Applications are reviewed by the ACEP Professional Well-Being Committee, which submits recommendations to the ACEP Board of Directors for final review and determination. The decision of the Board is final, and the Board reserves the right to make no award if no nominations are deemed to be of sufficient merit. The Board may also elect to grant the award to more than one recipient.

Why Apply?

This award is an opportunity to:

• Showcase your department’s commitment to clinician well-being
• Celebrate the work of wellness champions
• Attract and retain high-quality clinicians
• Demonstrate leadership within your hospital system
• Inspire other departments nationwide

Most importantly, the application process itself can help organizations reflect on their strengths, identify opportunities, and build momentum for continued improvement.

We Encourage YOU to Apply

If your department has been working toward building a culture of safety, support, and well-being—or even if you're early in the journey—we strongly encourage you to apply.
Your innovation, your progress, and your commitment matter.

This is our moment, as a specialty, to highlight what wellness looks like when done with intention and purpose.

Let’s celebrate the departments that are lighting the path forward.
More information, past winner videos, and application details are available on the ACEP website.

Please see the Submission Form.

If you have a question - reach out to us on our Section’s engagED page.

Diana Savitzky, MD, FACEP & Jennifer Ashley Goebel, DO, FACEP