Definition of ACEM Standards

A policy is a high-level document outlining a direction or guiding principle that ACEM is committed to pursuing with respect to a particular key emergency medicine issue and/or the practice of emergency medicine. A policy describes the expected overall effect or outcome of the policy, identifies the controls that should be in place to deal with the policy issue, and outlines the appropriate use of the related standards (and guidelines). Policies hold the highest level of authority among standards. Compliance with policy is expected and required. 

A guideline specifies recommendations regarding best practice courses of action in relation to particular emergency medicine issue or related subject matter. A guideline is non-mandatory, may be clinical or non-clinical, and relates to emergency medicine matters which ACEM has a professional interest or specialised knowledge. A guideline is based on the best available evidence and knowledge. An ACEM guideline may include recommended procedures. 

A statement (sometimes referred to as a ‘position statement’) is a communication that sets out the position of ACEM on a particular issue that has some impact on emergency medicine. ACEM may not be the primary subject matter expert on the issue or have jurisdiction relating to the issue. However, ACEM may have a professional interest or be concerned regarding the impact of the matter on its members and/or the community.  

A position statement is long-term document, developed in a reactive or proactive manner and updated as required. Position statements are distinct from media releases, which are typically reactive documents in response to an immediate issue. 

A submission is a response from ACEM to an external consultation on a particular issue/document that has some impact on emergency medicine. ACEM may not be the primary subject matter expert on the issue or have jurisdiction. However, ACEM may have a professional interest or be concerned regarding the impact of the matter on its members and/or the community. While it may cross reference ACEM statements, a submission addresses a specific document/topic, generally through reference to structured consultation questions. As such, a submission is largely specific to a time, place, circumstance and particular articulation of an issue, sometimes having a short ‘shelf life’. 

Submissions have therefore been added to the library selectively, based on both currency and status. For example, an ACEM response to a Royal Commission will likely be a comprehensive and enduring College document reflecting the interests and concerns of emergency medicine across a range of issues within a subject area and will be included in the library. 

ACEM Reports communicate information that has been compiled as a result of research and analysis of data and issues. Generally speaking the reports included in the library fall into two categories. 

1. Data-driven reports developed by our Research Unit, often survey-based, which enable us to understand the emergency medicine workforce, the patient journey and outcomes, and to what extent our training programs are meeting the needs of trainees, patients and employers; and 
2. Advocacy-driven reports, such as the ACEM Nowhere Else to Go report, which analyses why Australia’s health system is failing to meet the urgent needs of people presenting to emergency departments for mental healthcare and presents a comprehensive set of recommendations for reform. 

Documents tagged as ‘Other Resource’ in the library are a miscellany of items that do not fall neatly into the above categories. They are mainly what is referred to as ‘tools’. The definition of ‘Other Resource’ is best illustrated by example, such as the ACEM Heat Health Resource. This is a practical tool that stops short of the level of advice that would be expected of a ‘guideline’.