title: The role of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine in the development of guidelines and performance measures.
abstract: Measurement of adherence to clinical standards has become increasingly important to the practice of emergency medicine (EM). In recent years, along with a proliferation of evidence-based practice guidelines and performance measures, there has been a movement to incorporate measurement into reimbursement strategies, many of which affect EM practice. On behalf of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Guidelines Committee 2009-2010, the purposes of this document are to: 1) differentiate the processes of guideline and performance measure development, 2) describe how performance measures are currently and will be used in pay-for-performance initiatives, and 3) discuss opportunities for SAEM to affect future guideline and performance measurement development for emergency care. Specific recommendations include that SAEM should: 1) develop programs to sponsor guideline and quality measurement research; 2) increase participation in the process of guideline and quality measure development, endorsement, and maintenance; 3) increase collaboration with other EM organizations to review performance measures proposed by organizations outside of EM that affect emergency medical care; and 4) answer calls for participation in the selection and implementation of performance measures through The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. pinesj@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jesse M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pines
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fee
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Fermann
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ferroggiaro
authors.forename: Charlene B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Irvin
authors.forename: Maryann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Frank Peacock
authors.forename: Jeremiah D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Schuur
authors.forename: Ellen J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Charles V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Pollack
mesh_terms: D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States