Improvement in Quality of Patient Care

To State and Federal Legislators and Judiciary in the United States

We, the undersigned, request improved protection for Physicians who complain to Hospital Administrators regarding poor quality of care for patients. Physician Whistleblowers have little, if any, protection when they consider complaining about poor patient care delivered in a hospital. Because of this lack of protection, Physicians do not complain about poor patient care. This fear of retaliation for complaining leads to increased patient injury and increased patient deaths. There are approximately 500,000 avoidable patient deaths annually throughout the United States (1500 per day) and this number would be greatly reduced if physicians were not afraid to complain about poor patient care delivered inside a hospital. The Health Care Quality Improvement Act is abused by hospitals and permits hospitals to discipline and terminate physicians who complain about poor quality of care. The Health Care Quality Improvement Act removes Physician Due Process Rights. Physicians are unable to successfully contest a retaliatory hospital disciplinary process or termination. State and Federal Judges must interpret The Health Care Quality Improvement Act to afford Physicians their Due Process Rights so they will not be afraid to advocate for patients. The Health Care Quality Improvement Act must be interpreted and modified to stop hospital abuse and to better protect Physicians who wish to advocate for patients, thereby improving the quality of patient care.