The Biggest Challenge Facing Emergency Medicine Might Surprise You: Dr. Ryan Stanton, President-elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians and Medical Director for the AMR/NASCAR Safety Team

As many of our listeners know from news reports, emergency departments have been under enormous strain in recent years trying to manage overcrowding, the opioid addiction crisis, the consequences of an under-resourced mental health system, and rising rates of violence against staff, among many other challenges. But our guest today guest thinks there’s something else that should top that list. "I think hands down the most important issue is the reimbursement model," says Dr. Ryan Stanton, president-elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Dr. Stanton’s uniquely-informed view is built on his work leading a physician-owned group staffing two Kentucky emergency departments, serving as EMS medical director for Lexington-Fayette County, and overseeing on-track medical response crews for auto racing series such as NASCAR.

In this candid conversation with Raise the Line from Elsevier host Lindsey Smith, Dr. Stanton traces how underpayment from insurers is squeezing physicians and warping the incentives of emergency care, and why he believes the profession's ability to advocate collectively, not individually, is what will move the needle.

This informative episode also explores:

• Why he thinks physician autonomy is the antidote to burnout;
• His approach to communicating medical information as a TV commentator;
• What it’s like providing care at a NASCAR race when the “car is still smoking.”

Mentioned in this episode:

American College of Emergency Physicians

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