Oregon and Virginia are testing how states can protect physician autonomy amid growing private equity influence in healthcare.
EBM Review Series: To TNK or not to TNK: A discussion of the TenCRAOS trial
A 79-year-old male with a history of hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and diabetes presents to your community emergency department with sudden onset vision loss of the right eye, with onset two hours prior to arrival. Should you administer tenecteplase to this patient?
New Virginia law led by VACEP and physician legislator will improve fairness in Virginia Board of Medicine reviews
For many physicians, receiving notice of a Virginia Board of Medicine complaint can be one of the most stressful experiences of their career — even when the complaint is unfounded and ultimately dismissed. Here’s a new law that will help improve the process, along with a handbook you can use in the event you are served with a complaint.
EBM Review Series: Picking the Right Chest Tube, Does Size Matter?
A thirty-year-old male presents to the emergency department (ED) as the unrestrained driver of a rollover motor vehicle accident. During his trauma assessment, the patient becomes progressively more dyspneic, and you are unable to auscultate breath sounds on the right chest wall. Do you reach for the pigtail catheter (PTC) (</=14 French) or the large bore catheter (LBC) that you were trained to place for a hemothorax (28-32 French)?
New Virginia law delays release of certain test results
A Virginia law will change how and when certain diagnostic results are released to patients. It’s a shift that could have significant implications for emergency departments. Here’s what it means for emergency physicians and health systems.
Governor signs new laws affecting emergency care, workforce and patient communication
Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed several bills into law that carry implications for emergency physicians, hospital operations, and patient care across Virginia. See how medicine in Virginia has changed.
EBM Review Series: End-Tidal CO2 Measured at Triage Outperforms Standard Vital Signs – Potential Utility and Value of ETC02
A patient is brought to the emergency department (ED) by emergency medical services (EMS) with concern for sepsis. The patient has a history of urosepsis but is oriented with vital signs in the normal range. You - the physician - are deciding if it is appropriate to sepsis alert the patient now, or if you should first collect more data. What other information could be used to better inform this decision?
Joint Statement from the American College of Emergency Physicians and Virginia College of Emergency Physicians on Due Process, Transparency, and Due Diligence in Emergency Medicine Contracting
ACEP and VACEP outline transparency, due process, and patient care priorities amid Valley Health’s emergency medicine contract transition.
EBM Review Series: Point of Care Troponin in the Emergency Department: Faster Results, Same Throughput?
It is a busy shift when a 61-year-old male presents to your ED with chest pain. He is roomed immediately, but your lobby is pushing capacity and there are 42 admitted patients boarding in your department. How do you maximize throughput while maintaining high-quality patient care?
That's a Wrap: 'Sine Die' at the 2026 General Assembly. Here's where EM landed.
The 2026 Virginia General Assembly has adjourned. Emergency physicians closely watched several major policy debates, including a proposal to dramatically raise Virginia’s medical malpractice cap, legislation affecting physician assistant practice authority, new restrictions on healthcare non-compete agreements, and ongoing efforts to address workplace violence and behavioral health challenges in the Commonwealth’s healthcare system. Here’s a recap.
Guide & Script: How to Secure a Medical TDO in Virginia
Learn when and how emergency physicians in Virginia can obtain a medical TDO to continue medically necessary stabilization and treatment when a patient lacks decision-making capacity.
In a late-in-session move, a bill to raise the medical malpractice cap
In a late session move, the General Assembly is pushing legislation that would increase Virginia’s medical malpractice cap.
EBM Review Series: Ketamine vs Etomidate for rapid sequence intubation (RSI)
When choosing induction agents, does ketamine decrease the risk of death compared to etomidate? Authors, reviewers, and editors from VCU Health, Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University, and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine review a December 2025 NEJM article to find out.
ACEP president Cirillo addresses Virginia ER docs: ‘You can change the world’
ACEP President Dr. L. Anthony Cirillo told Virginia emergency physicians, residents, and med students that mounting pressures from insurers, workforce shortages and political polarization demand unity, advocacy, and a renewed focus on the profession’s purpose.
At Week 4, a look at key EM legislation in Virginia
At the end of the fourth week of the Virginia General Assembly, we offer a look at a few key pieces of EM-impacting legislation.
EBM Review Series: Treatment Options for Pediatric Appendicitis
Enjana Bylykbashi, MD & Emily Kershner, MD from VCU Health review the October 2025 study on the re-evaluation of Nonoperative Management for Pediatric Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis. Here's their analysis.
Advocacy Day brings 25 ER docs to Richmond to support patient safety, physician rights
Virginia emergency physicians were in Richmond for EM Advocacy Day. Here’s a look at the bills we discussed with lawmakers.
An early look at emergency medicine at the 2026 General Assembly
VACEP has introduced two bills in the 2026 General Assembly, and it’s also a big year for lawmaker education.
EBM Review Series: Are they shocky?
Megyn Christensen, DO & Martin Klinkhammer, MD, MHP, FACEP from Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University review the September 2025 study on the usage of shock index as a indicator of compensated shock among trauma patients. Here's their analysis.
An update on our effort to improve the policy for resolving unfounded Board of Medicine complaints
VACEP leaders are working on reforms to reduce the burden on practitioners who are named in unfounded complaints to the Board of Medicine. This is a particularly major issue in emergency medicine, which sees hundreds of complaints annually.