Policy & Position Statements
The 2006 Institute of Medicine Report outlines the need for appointment of at least one physician to assume pediatric leadership within all emergency medical services agencies, whose role should include ensuring adequate skills and knowledge among fellow ED providers and the oversight of pediatric care and quality improvement initiatives within the department. In the absence of adequate numbers of subspecialty trained Pediatric Emergency Medicine physicians within the pediatric emergency care workforce to assume this role in every community hospital department, this post should alternatively be filled by qualified Emergency Medicine-trained physicians with additional training and expertise in pediatric emergencies as demonstrated through successful completion of an Emergency Medicine Pediatric Leader Fellowship (EMPL), or some equivalent form of formal preparation for the job. These physicians would assume the position of Director of Pediatrics within their community hospital ED. In addition to their other duties described above, these physicians would also serve as liaisons between their own non-pediatric emergency departments and the regional tertiary pediatric emergency department, and spearhead and ensure effective working alliances between the two.
