Milwaukee, WI — Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representatives Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) and John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA) today introduced The Physician and Patient Safety Act, legislation that would ensure emergency room (ER) physicians and all physicians are able to maintain their Hippocratic Oath and put their patient’s health first. To meet complex organizational challenges of their ERs, some hospitals have outsourced their entire ER department to physician staffing companies. Unfortunately, federal law has not been updated to reflect changes in the industry and due process rights are not guaranteed to physicians who are not directly employed by the hospital. This bill would ensure due process rights for physicians that are employed by third-party contractors or physician staffing companies.
“The American Academy of Emergency Medicine is proud to support Senators Marshall and Warren as well as Representatives Ruiz and Joyce in their introduction of legislation to ensure emergency physicians and all physicians have medical staff due process rights. There is no greater policy imperative for patient safety and quality care than enacting this due process legislation, which is a driving force of our organization’s mission statement.” said Robert Frolichstein, MD FAAEM, President of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM).
“Due process rights allow physicians to confidently advocate for their patients without the concern of facing termination,” Senator Marshall said. “Over time, these protections have gradually diminished across various departments, posing risks to patient safety. Our legislation aims to address this issue by closing loopholes, and enabling all physicians to uphold the integrity of the health care system.”
“As an emergency medicine physician, I have always placed the safety and well-being of our communities at the forefront,” Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. said. “I bring the same commitment to collaborative, bipartisan action in Congress, and that is why I introduced the Physician and Patient Safety Act. This bill is a crucial step towards ensuring that physicians can advocate for their patients without fear of losing their jobs.”
Several studies and surveys have demonstrated that a lack of due process distorts the practice of emergency medicine, contributes to the physician workforce shortage, can prioritize financial incentivizes over appropriate clinical care, and undermines a physician’s Hippocratic Oath.
The Physician and Patient Safety Act is supported by the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Emergency Medicine Resident and Student Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, Free2Care, and the Kansas Chapter American College of Emergency Physicians.
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The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) is the specialty society of emergency medicine and the champion of the emergency physician. AAEM was established in 1993 to promote fair and equitable practice environments necessary to allow emergency physicians to deliver the highest quality of patient care. Our guiding values are embodied in our mission and vision statements.
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