Gianluca Cerri MD, emergency physician in the United States, commits to clear systems, early action, and calmer care where pressure is highest.

BATON ROUGE, LA / ACCESS Newswire / January 26, 2026 / Emergency physician Gianluca Cerri MD has announced the launch of a personal pledge focused on improving how emergency care is delivered in high-pressure and resource-limited settings. The pledge is grounded in his day-to-day work in emergency departments, especially rural hospitals, and reflects his long-held belief that better systems-not louder reactions-save lives.

"For years, I've seen that outcomes improve when teams are prepared before things get chaotic," said Cerri. "You don't win emergencies by reacting faster. You win by building clarity early."

The pledge centres on leadership under pressure, early intervention for addiction and acute illness, and practical systems that protect both patients and clinicians.

Why This Pledge Matters Now

Emergency departments are under growing strain nationwide:

  • Emergency rooms handle over 130 million visits each year in the U.S.

  • More than 180 rural hospitals have closed since 2005, increasing pressure on remaining facilities.

  • Opioid overdoses caused over 80,000 deaths in 2023, with rural areas seeing higher fatality rates.

  • Nearly 63% of physicians report burnout symptoms, with emergency medicine among the hardest hit.

"These numbers tell us something simple," Cerri said. "If we don't slow down the system, the system breaks people."

The Reason Behind the Pledge

Cerri says the pledge grew directly out of lessons learned on shift.

  • "Systems fail before people do. If communication and roles are unclear, pressure multiplies fast."

  • "In a rural ER, you don't wait for help. You are the help."

  • "If someone survives an overdose and leaves without a plan, we missed the moment that mattered most."

  • "Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about being predictable when things go wrong."

"These aren't ideas from a whiteboard," he added. "They're from nights when the room was full and time was short."

The Gianluca Cerri MD Personal Pledge

Seven Concrete Commitments

As part of this initiative, Cerri is publicly committing to the following behaviours:

  1. Start with clarity at every shift.
    I will assign roles and priorities early so teams know what to expect when volume spikes.

  2. Treat addiction as medical care, not an afterthought.
    I will support early, evidence-based treatment conversations during emergency visits.

  3. Reduce noise before adding tools.
    I will challenge workflows that add steps without improving speed or safety.

  4. Listen to frontline signals.
    I will take concerns from nurses, paramedics, and techs seriously and act on them.

  5. Use simple checklists in complex moments.
    I will rely on repeatable processes instead of memory under stress.

  6. Protect calm as a clinical tool.
    I will model steady behaviour so teams stay focused during crisis.

  7. Review outcomes, not excuses.
    I will measure what worked, what didn't, and adjust without blame.

Do It Yourself: The Emergency Care Toolkit

Cerri is inviting the public-not just clinicians-to adopt the same mindset. No services required.

10 actions anyone can take:

  1. Learn the warning signs of overdose and cardiac distress.

  2. Carry emergency contact information at all times.

  3. Ask clear questions before leaving any ER or urgent care visit.

  4. Support people in recovery without judgment.

  5. Share local crisis and addiction resources with your community.

  6. Practice calm communication during stressful situations.

  7. Simplify your own emergency plans at home.

  8. Check in on caregivers and healthcare workers you know.

  9. Advocate for preparedness in schools and workplaces.

  10. Reflect after emergencies on what helped and what didn't.

Simple 30-Day Progress Tracker

Week 1: Learn one emergency warning sign and share it with someone else.
Week 2: Review your personal or family emergency plan.
Week 3: Have one conversation that reduces stigma around addiction or crisis care.
Week 4: Identify one system or habit in your life that creates clarity under stress.

"Progress doesn't need permission," Cerri said. "It starts with small actions done on purpose."

Call to Action

Cerri is encouraging readers to take the pledge, use the toolkit, and share it within their own networks.

"If enough people focus on clarity and early action," he said, "we change outcomes without waiting for policy or permission."

To read the full interview, visit the website here.

About Gianluca Cerri MD

Gianluca Cerri MD is an emergency medicine physician with over two decades of clinical and leadership experience. His work spans urban and rural emergency departments, with a focus on systems-based care, early intervention, and calm leadership under pressure. He also serves as a clinical educator and advocate for practical improvements in emergency medicine.

Contact:

SOURCE: Gianluca Cerri, MD



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