Equity in Emergency Medicine

Find out more about what ACEM is doing to create an emergency medicine system that is equitable and fair for all. 

  • ACEM aims to address Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori health inequities through our Reconciliation Action Plan, Manaaki Mana Strategy, and other resources, scholarships and grants.
  • The College continually strives for better outcomes for patients through standards, research, policy and advocacy.
  • The Governance and Leadership Inclusion Action Plan represents the next phase of the College’s efforts to promote positive culture change within ACEM and more broadly across emergency departments (EDs).
  • Cultural Safety activities are a mandatory requirement of the CPD program.
  • The ACEM Foundation contributes philanthropically towards three pillars: Emergency Medicine Research, Global Emergency Care and Supporting Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori doctors undertaking emergency medicine training.
  • The Advancing Women in EM network, and the Inclusion and Indigenous Health committees provide:
    • leadership and advice on issues relating to equity
    • ​oversee projects that contribute to meaningful change within the culture of emergency medicine.

Interviews and articles

FACEMs Bhushan Joshi and Suzanne Moran, and FACEM Trainees Krupa Mehta and Matthew Bray have been interviewed for the Your ED spring 2022 edition. Read some of their thoughts on equitable care below.

If you have a system that does not provide equity for everyone, then no-one is safe. This applies to clinical and non-clinical operations as well as staff and patients.

Suzanne Moran. FACEM

What we can hope to be is sensitive and attentive to the impacts of biases, ambitious and courageous in our care, and strive to ensure our patients and peers encounter the fair opportunity to give or receive care that is unencumbered by legacies of inequality or injustice.

Matthew Bray, FACEM Trainee

Your postcode should not dictate the level of care that you receive. Patients should be getting the very best care possible no matter who they are or where have come from.

Krupa Mehta, FACEM Trainee

Taking a cultural history, asking pronouns, asking patients what they need and expect of us and not making assumptions about gender or sexuality are just some of the simple and effective ways we can make our patients feel comfortable and tailor the care we provide to be more equitable.

Bhushan Joshi, FACEM

Keep an eye out for the full interviews and other stories from the College community about creating inclusive working environments and how equity is demonstrated in emergency medicine.

If you would like to share your own story about equity in emergency medicine, please reach out to the Membership and Culture team.

 

TOPICS