Case Study:
36 Years of Excellence: Physician-Led Emergency Department Management in Chicagoland with IEMS
December 12, 2025
Strategic ED Physician Partnership Built on Measurable Performance
For more than three decades, Illinois Emergency Medicine Services (IEMS) has been the trusted emergency department management partner for hospitals in Chicagoland, delivering measurable success through human-centered leadership and operational excellence.
Over 36 years, the IEMS partnership has delivered stability, accountability, and results. IEMS’s model aligns people, process, and performance — ensuring dependable outcomes that strengthen both patient care and hospital operations.
Across IEMS partner hospitals, consistent excellence defines the relationship. Our commitment to operational rigor and front-end flow results in industry-leading metrics:
- LWBS consistently below 0.5% across all IEMS sites — a testament to strong front-end flow and real-time staffing optimization.
- Median door-to-provider times under 20 minutes, ensuring patients are seen quickly and safely.
- Patient Experience: Scores rank among the highest in the region, with providers achieving 90% “Likelihood to Recommend.”
- RN Engagement: Improving by 12% above an already high baseline through collaborative initiatives and a culture of respect.
IEMS achieves these results through continuous collaboration with hospital systems on enterprise initiatives and process improvement projects, building integration, trust, and shared accountability.
"There's a reason our providers choose to stay with us year after year - it's our culture. We foster an environment where physicians feel supported, connected, and empowered, and we pair that with true partnership alongside our hospitals. That combination creates stability, engagement, and exceptional care."
Geoff Crabb, MD
President, IEMS
Driving Hospital ED Performance Through Culture and Recognition
IEMS’s operational success is inextricably linked to our culture of respect and recognition. We empower local physician leaders who exemplify a performance-driven approach to the patient experience.
For example, at UChicago Medicine, Advent Health Bolingbrook, physician leader Dr. Scott Smithgall leads a structured improvement process built around transparency and recognition, achieving a 99% patient satisfaction rating. Key components of this successful model include:
- Weekly Transparency: Press Ganey reports with patient comments are shared across all teams.
- Monthly Feedback: Dedicated provider feedback sessions sustain accountability and celebrate positive mentions by name.
- Recognition: Quarterly performance awards are given to providers and nurses who demonstrate the greatest improvement.
These efforts translate directly into powerful patient feedback that validates our repeatable framework for driving performance and trust at the bedside.
The Impact of the IEMS Model is Reflected in Real Patient Voices:
“The doctor was very thorough with my care – helpful and caring, not rushed.”
“Doctor we saw was amazing – great education, super friendly, all around fantastic.”
“PA Bakker made me feel very safe during my medical emergency.”
“Emergency Dr. Green was awesome – great conversation about my condition and next steps.”
These aren’t anecdotes; they’re evidence of a repeatable framework for driving performance and trust at the bedside.
The IEMS Difference: A 36-Year Commitment to Chicagoland Emergency Services
There’s strength in numbers — and in partnership.
When hospitals partner with IEMS, they gain more than just a staffing solution; they gain a partner committed to both culture and care. Hospitals partnering with this physician-led ED group benefit from:
Proven Operational Frameworks that consistently achieve key performance metrics (e.g., <0.5% LWBS and Door-to-Provider under 20 minutes).
Engaged, stable, teams driven by a culture of recognition and sustained collaboration.
Seamless alignment with hospital leadership and the system goals across the Chicagoland area.
36 Years Strong. One Vision: Exceptional Emergency Care.
When hospitals and IEMS work together, success is measurable – and meaningful.