Who We Are
More than 6,000 ACEP and EMRA members participate in the 911 Network by staying current on federal health policy, contacting their legislators by email and social media, and meeting legislators in Washington, DC during ACEP’s Leadership and Advocacy Conference and back home through district meetings and emergency department visits by legislators.
Established in 1989, the 911 Network is an effective and critical tool in ACEP’s overall advocacy program in addition to direct lobbying by the ACEP DC office and political activity on the federal level through the National Emergency Medicine Political Action Committee (NEMPAC).
- The 911 Network is the only dedicated grassroots advocacy action network that speaks on behalf of the specialty of emergency medicine and patients seeking emergency care.
- 911 Network Members act as resources and health care issue experts for legislators and their staff to maximize the voice of emergency medicine in the federal legislative process.
- 911 Network Members are the first line of defense and are valued experts in Washington, DC when critical federal legislation is considered.
Recently, 911 Network Members have advocated on a host of issues that impact emergency medicine including:
- Preventing workplace violence in healthcare settings
- Ensuring fair reimbursement policies through MACRA; and
- Promoting research for firearm injury prevention.
For more information on ACEP’s current legislative agenda and activities, please click here.
911 Network Member of the Year
Every year during the ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference in Washington D.C., a 911 Network member is recognized for their outstanding advocacy efforts. To view past winners, click here.
Virtual Engagement Opportunities with Legislators
Many Members of Congress are schedule conference calls and tele-town halls with constituents. It’s important now, more than ever, to tell your story and let legislators know what you are experiencing as an emergency physician. To find a tele-town hall in your congressional district, click here. Simply type your zip code in the red box and click to find a town hall. You will then be able to RSVP and view call-in information. Click here to view our tips and talking points.
How We Communicate and Educate
911 WEEKLY UPDATE
We keep 911 Network members up-to-speed on legislative, regulatory and political activity impacting emergency medicine through the “911 Grassroots Network Weekly Update” which is sent to all Network members by email every Friday that Congress is in session. For samples of recent 911 Weekly Updates, click here.
ACTION ALERTS
When a specific issue or vote comes up concerning emergency medicine, we activate the 911 Network and ask our members to take action. Action alerts are sent by email to brief you on the issue, and a link is provided to our Advocacy Action Center where you can directly contact your U.S. Senator or Representative by email. Sample emails and talking points are provided that you can send easily to your legislators with just one click after providing your contact information. Additionally, you will find opportunities to engage legislators on social media.
Other Ways to Get Involved
DELIVERY OF NEMPAC CONTRIBUTIONS
911 Network Members assist NEMPAC in the delivery of contributions back home to federal candidates who have been approved for support by the NEMPAC Board of Trustees. This helps reinforce the presence of a local contact and resource on emergency medicine issues and provides the Network member with another opportunity to interact with legislators. For more information about NEMPAC, click here.
TRAINING
To help improve your advocacy skills, political education training through the “School of Political Advocacy” is offered each year during the ACEP Scientific Assembly. The course educates attendees on the federal legislative process, current issues of importance being considered by Congress, and provides tips and techniques on how to become an effective advocate for your specialty and patients.
ACEP 911 Network members are also encouraged to attend the annual ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference (LAC) held in Washington, D.C. At LAC, members tackle problems facing the specialty, develop tools to advocate at all levels, and build relationships with members of Congress.
HOST AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT FOR YOUR LEGISLATOR
We also encourage 911 Network members to invite their legislators and staff to tour their emergency department. This provides an opportunity to witness, first-hand, the operations of an ED and the challenge that ACEP members face every day in providing life-saving care to thousands of their constituents.
ED Visit Center
Now is the perfect time to host an emergency department visit for your member of Congress. Hundreds of ACEP members have hosted visits with tremendous success. As part of ACEP's long-range advocacy efforts, we would like to have as many legislators as possible spend time with emergency physicians in their communities, seeing first-hand the inner workings of a hospital emergency department and those patients seeking care in this setting.
Newly elected and veteran members of Congress alike rely heavily upon input from their constituents when considering issues and making policy decisions. Whether your member is a freshman representative or a seasoned senator with years of legislative experience, he or she wants to hear what you, as a constituent and a physician, have to say about issues of importance to the community.
Legislators are looking for information about our health care system -- where it works and where it doesn't work. As the front line of our nation's health care delivery system, emergency physicians are well-positioned to educate legislators on a wide-range of issues including patient access, public health concerns, rural and inner-city health issues, and quality of care.
ACEP helps in setting up the visits including talking points and tips on coordinating the visit with your hospital staff and administration. For more information about hosting an ED visit for your federal legislator, please contact Jeanne Slade or Liz Demorest in the ACEP Washington, D.C. Office.
