Statement reviewed and approved by the AAEM Board of Directors. (4/23/2022)
Every day, we manage many complicated patients in the fast-paced environment of the Emergency Department (ED). This work includes making phone calls, answering questions (from physicians, students, patients, and families), charting, and reviewing clinical data. The 2020 Position statement from the Academy of Academic Emergency Medicine (AAEM) supports recognizing and reducing interruptions in the ED workplace as patient safety and physician wellness issues.1 While some interruptions are necessary, work is needed to clarify when interruptions are best made and how to make them less intrusive.
