General News
Aug 28, 2025
US Acute Care Solutions Launches Enhanced Pediatric Readiness Initiative Nationwide
CANTON, Ohio, August 28, 2025 – US Acute Care Solutions (USACS), the nation’s largest physician-owned emergency and inpatient medicine practice, provides emergency medicine services to more than 400 programs nationwide. While several of our partner sites are either children’s hospitals or have a dedicated pediatric department within their adult emergency department (ED), the vast majority do not offer pediatric-specific services. Recognizing the critical need to provide exceptional care to every patient population, we elected to launch an enhanced pediatric readiness initiative across our practice.Annually, approximately 30 million children visit the ED throughout the nation, and nearly 85% of those visits occur in community EDs1,2. At USACS, we see over 1 million pediatric ED visits each year across our sites. The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program developed the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) to support community EDs. The NPRP empowers all EDs to improve their capability to provide high-quality care for children, more widely recognized as being “pediatric ready.” An evidence-based checklist, endorsed by all major professional organizations, was created to establish a baseline for what every community hospital should have in place to be optimally prepared to care for pediatric patients.“Our national practice recognized the need to continually improve pediatric care—after all, we see more kids in our group than almost anyone in the country,” noted Amer Aldeen, MD, Chief Medical Officer for USACS. “That’s why we added pediatric readiness as one of our national quality goals—everyone at USACS plays their part in taking better care of kids.”Leading our practice’s nationwide initiative that coincides with the NPRP is our National Director of Pediatric Services, Sujit Iyer, MD.“As a pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physician, I am extremely passionate about this initiative,” said Dr. Iyer. “I want every physician and APP in our practice to feel confident that they have the resources and support they need to provide life-saving care to our youngest patient population. Research has shown that investing in pediatric readiness can reduce pediatric mortality by 75%, and we have the incredible opportunity to play a role in saving lives of children across the nation.”In 2023, we began requiring every ED where our emergency medicine services are provided to annually complete the Pediatric Readiness Assessment. Although completing the assessment proved to be a great starting point, it was evident that additional efforts were needed to drive meaningful and consistent improvements in how we uniformly care for pediatric patients. To further strengthen the initiative, this year we committed to ensuring that every ED has a designated pediatric champion on staff.“When this initiative was first launched, approximately 17% of our EDs scored 88 or better on the Pediatric Readiness Assessment, which mirrored the national average,” said Dr. Iyer. “To date, over 65% of our sites have scored above 88, a significant accomplishment in such a short timeframe. I am confident that this number will continue to rise as our pediatric champions are identified at every ED. They will play a vital role in our ongoing efforts to both reach and sustain high pediatric readiness scores. Our ultimate goal is to have 100% of our sites score above 88, which is the category of top performing EDs, and the mark proven to reduce mortality and injury risk in children.”Additionally, our focus on creating pediatric-specific education and developing easily accessible educational resources has been instrumental in helping any site that is on the cusp of reaching their pediatric readiness score of 88 and above address the areas on the checklist where there is room for improvement.“Accountability is where I believe our strength as a practice lies as we navigate the pediatric readiness initiative for the long-term,” said Dr. Iyer. “My role is to listen to the specific needs of each ED, determine our next steps to address these needs, and work with the other incredible leaders in our practice, from the Regional Vice Presidents to our National Quality Directors, to streamline our efforts and efficiently disseminate the resources we create together.”As summer comes to a close and school-aged children return to their academic routines, our practice remains committed to providing peace of mind to the communities we serve, assuring them that our EDs are equipped, and our teams are exceptionally prepared to care for their youngest members.About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospital, and critical care medicine services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected], K., Gausche-Hill, M., Joseph, M. M., Brown, K., Snow, S. K., Wright, J. L., AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Section on Surgery, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Committee, EMERGENCY NURSES ASSOCIATION, Pediatric Committee, Pediatric Readiness in the Emergency Department, POLICY STATEMENT, Organizational Principles to Guide and Define the Child Health Care System and/or Improve the Health of All Children (2018). Pediatric Readiness in the Emergency Department. Annals of emergency medicine, 72(6), e123–e136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2018.08.431Goto, T., Hasegawa, K., Faridi, M. K., Sullivan, A. F., Camargo, C. A., Jr (2017). Emergency Department Utilization by Children in the USA, 2010-2011. The western journal of emergency medicine, 18(6), 1042–1046. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2017.7.33723
Press Release
Jun 9, 2025
US Acute Care Solutions Reduces Opioid Prescriptions through Emergency Department Feedback Program
CANTON, Ohio, June 9, 2025 – US Acute Care Solutions (USACS) is pleased to share its success in reducing opioid prescribing rates in emergency departments (EDs) nationwide. This achievement is the result of an audit and feedback quality improvement program, designed to limit excessive prescribing in several practice settings and health systems.The Growing EpidemicSince 1999, over one million Americans have lost their lives to a drug overdose, making it the leading cause of death among those aged 18-44. A key driver of this epidemic is the overprescribing of opioids, which ultimately contributes to addiction and mortality.While not the primary contributor to the opioid epidemic, EDs do account for one-fifth of all opioid prescriptions. This presents a vital opportunity for emergency physicians to address variations in prescribing behavior at our partner sites. Through our data-driven initiative, we offer a proven approach to minimize the number of patients first exposed to opioids in the emergency room.A Framework for Comparative InsightsOur efforts demonstrate the strategic use of transparent monitoring and evaluation. Employed by clinicians across USACS EDs, we relied on two primary interventions:Peer Comparison Tool: An online dashboard that allows clinicians to compare their prescribing practices to peers (in blinded fashion), encouraging a culture of accountability and an evidence-based approach to prescribing opioidsDirect Clinician Feedback: One-on-one, non-judgmental conversations between high-prescribing clinicians and national ED leaders, promoting continuous progress and a shared commitment to evidence-based pain management strategiesWithin this framework, clinicians also received educational materials on the importance of alternatives to opioids (ALTOs), creating and approving pain management guidelines at the departmental level, optimizing geriatric pain management, and improving communication with patients.Positive Patient OutcomesTo assess patient outcomes, we analyzed data over a two-year period and published our results in the Annals of Emergency Medicine as the largest ever study of an ED opioid prescribing intervention. Following implementation, we observed an efficient and sustained reduction in opioid prescriptions. From 2020 to 2022, our ED prescriptions decreased from 10.36% of discharges to 6.92%. With continued prioritization, the rate has continued to drop every subsequent quarter. Our 2024 data placed us at 5.80% of discharged patients. At a single site or single health system, this would be significant. At our scale of over 300 EDs and over 5 million ED patients discharged annually, the effect is massive, resulting in hundreds of thousands fewer opioid prescriptions.“The results speak for themselves,” said Chief Medical Officer, Amer Aldeen, MD, FACEP, FAAEM. “We have seen a 44% decline in our prescription rate, with impressive changes among our highest prescribers. Our patients are benefiting from effective pain relief and management without elevated risks of opioid dependency or abuse.”“We are using scalable solutions to combat one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time,” affirmed Chief of Clinical Innovation, Jesse Pines, MD, MBA, MSCE. “While we in the ED are not the major cause of the opioid pandemic, we can be part of the solution.”About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospital, and critical care medicine services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected]
Press Release
May 15, 2025
US Acute Care Solutions Celebrates Milestone Ten-Year Anniversary
CANTON, Ohio, May 15, 2025 – US Acute Care Solutions (USACS), the nation’s largest physician-owned emergency and inpatient medicine practice, celebrates its 10th anniversary today. This milestone marks a significant achievement in our practice’s history, highlighting the dedication of both the founding partners and legacy groups who have joined forces to advance their specialties and become national leaders in acute care.Over the last decade, we at USACS have remained committed to our physician-ownership model. Even amidst a challenging healthcare landscape and industry pressure to follow the status quo of scaling to sell, we have persisted in carving our own path. The practice’s successful, scalable growth is a direct result of choosing this uncharted route. Steadfast in our mission—to care for patients—we embrace a sustainable approach to ensure long-term physician ownership and clinician-led management for the benefit of patients.The practice now has greater than 6,000 clinicians who serve more than 11 million patients annually in 27 states at 400+ programs.“Reaching this milestone is absolutely incredible, and I could not be more proud of how far we’ve come,” reflected Dominic Bagnoli, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, Executive Chair of the USACS Board of Directors. “Ten years ago, we faced a crossroads with two options – sell the practice or go it alone – neither of which aligned with our values or goals. Rather than compromise, we took a leap of faith and created an unprecedented third option, one that preserved our independence and values yet allowed us to gain the strength that comes with scale. The solid foundation we built, grounded in physician ownership and patient-centric care, has enabled us to achieve long-term, sustainable success. I can’t wait to see what the next ten years have in store.”“It is a true privilege to lead this group of talented physicians, advanced practice providers, and MSO employees,” said CEO Chris Hummer. “We operate as one unified team with a shared goal of delivering exceptional care to our patients, an ambition that drives us to continually improve and pursue innovative solutions. I am humbled by the impact this practice has made since its inception and look forward to continuing on this path of meaningful work alongside my colleagues.”About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospitalist, and critical care medicine services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected]
General News
May 9, 2025
US Acute Care Solutions Honors the 2024 Clinical Excellence Award Recipients
CANTON, Ohio, May 9, 2025 – US Acute Care Solutions (USACS), the nation’s largest physician-owned, emergency and inpatient medicine practice, is proud to recognize eight recipients of the National Clinical Governance Board’s (NCGB) Clinical Excellence Award. The award honors physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) across USACS service lines who are not in leadership or management roles.Exemplary clinicians are selected through year-round nominations by their clinical colleagues. They are commended for their remarkable clinical expertise and dedication to patient-centered care. This recognition was presented at USACS’ annual Clinical Leadership Assembly, held this month in Washington, D.C.Congratulations to the 2024 Clinical Excellence Award recipients:Asal Najafi-Mahalati, DO, Sinai Hospital, LifeBridge—Baltimore, MDDavid Bosch, DO, AdventHealth Southlands—Lakewood, COEussra El-Magbri, MD, Inova Alexandria Hospital—Alexandria, VAJason Goldwasser, DO, Jefferson Hospital—Jefferson Hills, PAJeffrey Haines, PA-C, Meritus Medical Center—Hagerstown, MDJustin French-Kazee, DO, St. Mary’s Medical Center—Huntington, WVTatjana Delemus, MD, Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center – HM—Carson City, NVThomas McElroy, NP, UVA Culpeper Medical Center—Culpeper, VA“The Clinical Excellence Award is a testament to the impactful work of our physicians and APPs,” said Chair of the NCGB, Roya Caloia, DO, MPH, FACEP, FAAEM. “They are the clinicians who inspire each of us to be better at the bedside and who we would want taking care of our family members should they need it. I am pleased to celebrate our winners and thank each of them for their unwavering commitment to the patients we serve.”About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospital, and critical care medicine services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected]
Press Release
Apr 25, 2025
Dr. Roya Caloia Named Chair, USACS National Clinical Governance Board
CANTON, Ohio, April 25, 2025 – US Acute Care Solutions (USACS), the nation’s largest physician-owned emergency and inpatient medicine practice, today announced it has named Roya Caloia, DO, MPH, FACEP, FAAEM, Chair of its National Clinical Governance Board. Dr. Caloia’s term as Chair will begin May 1, 2025.The USACS National Clinical Governance Board (NCGB) is unique in the acute healthcare industry. Established in 2015 and led by experienced physicians, the NCGB monitors and responds to clinical governance issues at USACS sites. Elected by their peers, the 18 board members are the physicians who set the clinical strategic direction of the practice. Their work includes reviewing and approving evidence-based bedside tools, assessing clinical outcomes, and evaluating patient experiences, with the aim to improve healthcare services nationwide.Most recently, Dr. Caloia served as the National Director of Clinical Education and Vice Chair of the NCGB. She will assume the role of Chair following her predecessor, Dr. Joan Kolodzik, MD, FACEP, who has served in that capacity since 2021.“Serving as Chair of the NCGB over the past four years has had a tremendous impact on my career,” shared Dr. Kolodzik. “It was an honor to contribute to the continuous improvement of our high-quality patient care efforts and the well-being of our clinician colleagues. I have full confidence Dr. Caloia will lead the NCGB to new heights as she transitions into this critical role for our practice.”Dominic J. Bagnoli, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, Executive Chair of the USACS Board of Directors, said, “Dr. Kolodzik was an exemplary leader of the NCGB, achieving milestones that will undoubtedly serve as the foundation for our group’s continued success for years to come. Knowing that Dr. Caloia has worked closely alongside Dr. Kolodzik throughout her successful term as Chair provides great reassurance that the NCGB will continue to thrive in support of our mission to serve patients.”“The NCGB is a unique differentiator of our practice, and I am truly honored to be afforded the opportunity to serve as Chair,” expressed Dr. Caloia. “To have a group of physicians, independent of operations, solely focused on the right thing for patients and the right thing for our physicians and APPs is incredible.”Dr. Caloia is a board-certified emergency physician and practices clinically at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, MI. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami, a master’s degree in public health from Florida International University, and a medical degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her internship at Palmetto General Hospital and her residency at Oakwood Southshore Medical Center, where she was the chief resident.About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospital, and critical care medicine services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected]
General News
Apr 1, 2025
USACS Now Accepting Applications for Senior Resident Forum to Be Held in Denver, Colorado, August 4-6, 2025
CANTON, Ohio, April 2, 2025 – We at US Acute Care Solutions (USACS) are pleased to announce our Senior Resident Forum, taking place in Denver, CO, on August 4-6, 2025. This all-expenses-paid trip enables resident physicians in emergency, internal, and family medicine to learn and engage with experts in emergency, hospital, and critical care medicine, empowering them to launch their careers.The Senior Resident Forum will be held at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, a historic landmark in downtown Denver. This iconic hotel offers elevated amenities, distinctive dining, luxurious accommodations, and convenient access to the city’s top attractions.At the forum, speakers will address a variety of professional topics crucial to residents’ future practice as attending physicians. Subjects include financial literacy, clinical efficiency, optimal documentation, avoidance of medical malpractice, working with APPs, job contract pearls, and many others.As the nation’s largest physician-owned acute care practice, we at USACS care for over 11 million patients annually at more than 400 programs across 27 states. With physicians leading the way, we are well-equipped to help the next generation of physicians deliver high-quality patient care while enjoying a rewarding career.“We can’t wait to welcome our senior residents to this year’s memorable forum,” said Chief Medical Officer, Amer Aldeen, MD, FACEP, FAAEM. “Making the transition to an attending is simultaneously challenging and exciting—and we’re here to help. This is an excellent time to connect with our physician leaders, who share similar experiences and can offer firsthand guidance.”Chief of Inpatient Medicine, George Mitri, MD, FACP, SFHM, adds “Our goal is to provide insight into the complexities of patient care, from the hospital to the ICU. This forum offers a collaborative space to ask questions, receive advice, and build the diverse skills necessary for professional growth.”If you are a senior resident in EM, IM, or FM looking to advance your career, apply today to join the Senior Resident Forum. Your travel expenses, two-night hotel stay, and all on-site meals are on us. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to network and grow with fellow physicians at USACS.About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospital, and critical care services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected]
Press Release
Mar 20, 2025
US Acute Care Solutions Names Kyle Kirkpatrick Executive Vice President, National Director of Advanced Practice
CANTON, Ohio, March 20, 2025 – US Acute Care Solutions (USACS), the nation’s largest physician-owned emergency and inpatient medicine practice, has named Kyle Kirkpatrick, PA-C, MS, the Executive Vice President, National Director of Advanced Practice.Kyle is currently the USACS Director of Advanced Practice (DAP) for the West Division and the National Director of the APP Scholars Program. Prior to his DAP role, he was a Lead APP and Regional Director of APPs. In addition, Kyle has been a delegate for the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the President of the Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants. He has served as a board member of the State of Colorado Medical Board and has ten years of service as a fellow for the Federation of State Medical Boards.Kyle earned his Master of Science in the Physician Assistant program at Baylor College of Medicine and his Bachelor of Science in microbiology at Brigham Young University. He is the recipient of the AAPA’s Presidents Award and the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants Award. He continues to practice clinically in Colorado.“With 20 years of clinical and leadership experience, I am confident that Kyle will be an outstanding advocate for APPs throughout our practice,” said Chief Clinical Officer, Tina Latimer, MD, MBA, MPH. “This is an excellent opportunity to optimize the impact of APPs in our patient care services, and I look forward to collaborating with Kyle to achieve our shared goals.”Kyle added, “I am honored to step into this new role and deeply appreciate the support from our leadership. As we move forward together, I am excited to work alongside our talented group of APPs across the country. We remain committed to reinforcing the APP-physician partnership and uniting our clinical care teams to deliver exceptional patient outcomes.”About USACSFounded by emergency medicine and inpatient physicians across the country, USACS is solely owned by its physicians and hospital system partners. The group is a national leader in integrated acute care, including emergency, hospital, and critical care services. USACS provides high-quality care to approximately 11 million patients annually across more than 400 programs and is aligned with many of the leading health systems in the country. Visit usacs.com for more.###Media ContactMarty RichmondCorporate Communications DepartmentUS Acute Care Solutions330.493.4443 [email protected]