American College of Emergency Physicians
ACEP Telehealth Section Summer Newsletter
A Letter from the Chair
Dear Emergency Telehealth Section Members,
Chicago is calling—and, fortunately, it is not asking us to troubleshoot anyone’s video conferencing software. ACEP26 is almost here, and I hope you will join us for the Emergency Telehealth Section meeting on Wednesday, October 7, from 9:30–11:00 a.m. Central. It will be a meeting full of connections, ideas, and momentum for the future of emergency telehealth.
We have a terrific program planned. Our ACEP Board Liaison, Dr. Casaletto, will share updates from the ACEP Board of Directors and answer members’ questions. It is a great time to learn more about ACEP and its special interest Sections. We will also hold section elections, with opportunities for section members to run from the floor for chair-elect, secretary, councilor, and newsletter editor. Then, after we pass the virtual gavel to our incoming chair, Dr. Marc Bartman, we will break into small groups to explore the issues that matter most to our members, including careers, research, and advocacy. Come for the conversation; stay for the snacks. Telehealth may cross distances, but snacks still work best in person.
A Year Worth Celebrating
This section has never been short on ideas, and this year we turned many of them into action. Together, we:
- Continued growing our section and strengthening member connections.
- Hosted monthly learning and networking conversations, now available through ACEP Anytime.
- Collaborated with the Health Information Technology Section on ACEP’s wearables policy and an upcoming ACEP News article on Telehealth in Emergency Medicine: Current Uses, Policy, and Training
- Welcomed a newsletter editor and expanded our communications.
- Contributed emergency telehealth expertise to legislative and advocacy efforts.
Under Dr. Bartman’s leadership as chair-elect, our educational calendar was equally impressive. Members learned from experts on VISN 22’s Tele-Emergency Care, participated in a section roundtable, examined artificial intelligence’s role in emergency care, explored the ETHAN program and the Virtual Visit Track, and reviewed research on telemedicine use and outcomes after emergency department discharge. That is a remarkable range—and proof that our ACEP members are not waiting for the future; we are building it.
Meet Us in Chicago
If you will be at ACEP26, please make our section meeting part of your Chicago plans. Bring a question, an idea, a colleague, or all three. The annual meeting runs October 5–8, and our gathering is the perfect place to reconnect with familiar faces, welcome new members, and help decide where the section goes next. If you cannot attend in person, we hope to offer a virtual option; please watch for details. You can also find more emergency telehealth content throughout the meeting and join us at the ACEP Section Crawl on Monday, October 5, from 4:00–6:30 p.m.
It has been an absolute privilege to serve as your chair for the past two years. I am continually inspired by this community's ingenuity, generosity, and practical optimism. You are expanding access, improving acute care, asking better questions, and ensuring innovation remains centered on patients and clinicians.
I cannot wait to see what comes next—and I hope to see you in Chicago on Wednesday, October 7, at 9:30 a.m. Central. Let’s fill the room, shape the future, and perhaps prove that emergency physicians really can arrive somewhere before the emergency.
With gratitude,
Michael Baker, MD, FACEP
Chair, ACEP Emergency Telehealth Section
Meet our Candidates
We’re grateful to the ACEP members who have already expressed their interest in serving as section officers. Elections will take place during our ACEP 2026 Telehealth Section meeting in Chicago, and we warmly welcome additional candidates until then. If you’d like to add your name to the ballot, please reach out to Annalane Miller. Members will also have an opportunity to run from the floor during the meeting. For a quick description of the positions, please refer to the Spring Newsletter
Candidate: Kathleen Li
Position: Chair-elect
I am an acting assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Washington. My research focuses on leveraging innovative care models such as telehealth to optimize acute unscheduled care delivery as well as improving care of older adults. I have been an active member of the Emergency Telehealth section for the past several years, including currently serving as Alternate Councilor. It has been a privilege to learn with and from my fellow section members as the many flavors of emergency telehealth have evolved and matured. As chair-elect, I hope to keep strengthening this community, advance how we use telehealth to improve emergency care, and advocate for policies that support its continued growth.
Candidate: Lisa Zhao
Position: Secretary
I currently serve as the National Lead for Tele‑Emergency Care within the VA. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of helping build and grow a nationally scaled Tele‑EC program. Prior to that I served as the Director of one of the regional programs.
This past year, I also stepped into the role as one of newsletter editors. It’s been genuinely rewarding—getting to highlight the incredible work happening around the country, connecting with colleagues, and sharing ideas that push our field forward. I originally took on the newsletter because I wanted to stay plugged into innovations happening outside the VA. It has kept me accountable, kept me learning, and made me feel more connected to our telehealth community.
As the section looks for a Secretary for next year, I’d love the chance to continue supporting our work in a way that builds on what I’ve already been doing—communicating, organizing, and keeping people connected. The Secretary role aligns naturally with what I enjoy: making sure information flows smoothly, helping keep our projects coordinated, and elevating the voices and efforts of our members. And given that part of the Secretary role includes overseeing the newsletter and keeping our digital spaces updated, it feels like a natural step from the work I’ve already been doing.
Candidate: Iyesatta Massaquoi Emeli
Position: Alternate Councilor
Dr. Iyesatta Massaquoi Emeli is a Distinguished Physician and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University with more than 20 years of clinical experience and a longstanding interest in leveraging technology to improve access to acute care. She has been an active member of the ACEP Telehealth Section for many years, serving for two years as Newsletter Editor followed by two years as Councillor. She currently serves on the Section’s Executive Committee and would be honored to continue serving the Telehealth Section in the role of Alternate Councillor. An accomplished writer, Dr. Emeli’s essays and short stories have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, JAMA, Annals of Emergency Medicine, STAT News, The Boston Globe, Slate and other publications.
Important Dates/Upcoming Events
ACEP Annual Scientific Assembly
October 5-8, 2026
McCormick Center, Chicago Il
Section Crawl
October 5, 2026
4:00-6:30 pm CST
Telehealth Section Meeting
October 7, 2026
9:30am CST
Level 1 W194A
