The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) has noted recent actions taken by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Since our inception 30 years ago, AAEM and the emergency physicians we represent have partnered with HHS in delivering quality emergency medical care. However, HHS is eliminating the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) whose mission is to produce evidence to make healthcare safer, higher quality, and more accessible. In October of 2024, AHRQ convened a “Summit to Address Emergency Department Boarding” and subsequently issued a report on boarding in March of 2025. Without AHRQ, health system research like this will remain undone, with consequences for patients and the emergency department workforce.
AAEM remains committed to ensuring that all Americans have access to quality emergency care, supported by adequate testing, disease tracking, outbreak management, and treatment resources developed by agencies like AHRQ.
We encourage HHS to reconsider the pace of staff reductions and consolidations and to engage with Congress and organizations like AAEM to explore ways to maintain support for evidence-based medicine, research, and the healthcare safety net provided to patients.
Download the PDF