Ambulatory Medical Emergency Response

All MGH ambulatory sites must have a practice-specific medical emergency response plan that guides appropriate medical response in emergency situations and adheres to the guidelines set forth by the hospital. Click here to access the Ambulatory Medical Emergency Response policy.

The MGH Code Committee has authorized the establishment of the Ambulatory Medical Emergency Response Committee (AMERC) to provide oversight and make recommendations to MGH ambulatory sites in delivering high-quality patient care and the appropriate medical response in emergency situations.

With patient safety as our primary goal, AMERC’s key responsibilities include:

• Establishment of standardized requirements/expectations for emergency response, equipment, medications and education/training.
• Review and approval of medical emergency response plans developed by practice clinical leadership.

• Emergency response plans should be completed by a licensed clinician within the practice.

• Emergency response plans should be displayed within practices.

• Practices may share a plan only if they share the same leadership and location, emergency equipment, supplies, medication storage and responsibility for the local emergency response.

• Practices should update their emergency response plans if:
  1. There is a change in practice location.
  2. There is a change in services provided by practice.
  3. There is a change in the patient population for the practice.
  4. There is an overall change in hospital emergency response protocol.
  5. It has been 3 years since the plan was last updated.

• All staff members should be able to speak to the plan.
  1. Discuss the plan at staff meetings and use during mock drills.
  2. Include the plan in unit orientation for all staff members – administrative and clinical.
  3. If others use space in your area, be sure they are also aware of the plan.