FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2018
MILWAUKEE, WI – The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) congratulates Representatives Chris Collins (R-NY), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Pete Sessions (R-TX) on the introduction of landmark federal legislation today to protect physician due process rights. AAEM is proud to recognize Representative Collins as a champion in the field of emergency medicine, and will continue to work closely with him and Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle in the coming months to tackle this critical problem.
“The protection of due process rights has long been the top advocacy priority for AAEM,” said David Farcy, President of AAEM. “We are thankful to Representatives Collins, Ruiz, and Sessions for recognizing the importance of this issue, for taking the time to listen to the concerns of emergency physicians and patients around the country, and for taking the initiative to address this public health imperative.”
In June, AAEM led a group letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging them to take concrete action to protect physician due process rights. It was signed by eight other leading organizations in the field of emergency medicine: AAEM/RSA, ACEP, ACMT, ACOEP, AOA, CORD, EMRA, and SAEM.
A physician that lacks due process rights loses the ability to advocate for his or her patients without fear of termination. By requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to move forward with a rulemaking to protect due process rights, this bill restores the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship in emergency medicine, and enables physicians to do the right thing for those in need of care. This common-sense measure not only has the benefit of promoting quality care, it also empowers doctors to fight waste, fraud and abuse in the health care system.
For decades, a growing number of emergency physicians have been forced to waive their due process rights as a condition of employment. This bill will reverse this trend.
AAEM urges Congress to follow Representative Collins’ lead and swiftly enact this pro-patient and pro-taxpayer legislation.
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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.