The System Triage Officer: The Value of Emergency Medicine Physicians Delivering Value-Based Care (AACEM and Vice Chairs Interest Group Sponsored)

The System Triage Officer: The Value of Emergency Medicine Physicians Delivering Value-Based Care (AACEM and Vice Chairs Interest Group Sponsored) In our rural integrated health system in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, which includes 9 hospitals and 10 emergency departments, we have developed and implemented an advanced patient placement system to coordinate inter-, intra-, and extra-hospital transfers. Inclusive of this implementation has been the role of the System Triage Officer (STO). The STO role is uniquely filled by emergency physicians and provides oversight and support to the transfer center by allowing physicians to participate in the timely review of care, determine the necessity of transfers, and help patients navigate to the right place for the right care at the right time. I addition, the STO provides oversight to more than 10 convenient care clinics throughout our region, and offers video tele-health services for these clinics, as well as for our EMS system via our ET3 grant. The STO positions highlights the importance and opportunity for emergency physicians to provide value-based care.

In this session we plan to share data that support the cost savings provided by our transfer center model, inclusive of the STO role and describe opportunity for others to model it. In studying the success of our model, including its expansion to include multiple STOs during peak hours, we have been able to describe not only the impact of providing value-based care upon our patients and health system, but have also highlighted the unique skill set that emergency physicians have in navigating complex systems of care. We feel that the STO role augments the importance of the Emergency Medicine Physician workforce and adds to the discussion regarding the opportunities to expand the roles of EM within the broader healthcare work force.

Presenters:

Mark F. Olaf, DO, FACEP
Ross Ellison, MD, MBA

Authors

Mark F. Olaf, DO, FACEP

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Mark F Olaf, DO, FACEP is Vice Chair of Education for Emergency Medicine and an Associate Regional Dean for the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) where he is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine. He is an Emergency Physician at Geisinger Health System in Danville, PA.

A Diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine, and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP), Dr. Olaf is also a distinguished fellow of the ACEP Teaching Fellowship. Dr. Olaf is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed emergency medicine residency training at the Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania, where he served as Chief Resident.

Dr. Olaf has demonstrated expertise in advising and mentoring emergency medicine bound students. He has published and collaborated with colleagues from across the country to further knowledge and share information related to emergency medicine education and advising in medical school. Dr. Olaf has lectured extensively within his institution and in multiple venues across the United States. He has been awarded multiple institutional awards for mentoring and advising students. His ongoing academic and education research interests include evidence-based advising, medical student transitions to residency, and curriculum development for emergency medicine education.
Ross Ellison, MD, MBA

Geisinger Health System

Dr. Ellison is the Interim Regional Administrator for Geisinger NorthEast region and the Medical Director for Geisinger Placement Services.