RE: Medical Whistleblowers Expose Secret Retaliation Tactics

[Guest guest]

" Bill Kingsbury " <b.b.bb

Wed, 10 May 2006 15:59:50 -0700

RE: Medical Whistleblowers Expose Secret Retaliation Tactics

 

 

 

 

 

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=65409

 

 

 

 

Medical Whistleblowers Announce Attack on Secret Hospital Retaliation

Tactics

 

5/8/2006 6:06:00 PM

 

Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor

 

Contact: Kathryn Serkes of the Association of American Physicians &

Surgeons, 202-333-3855 or kaserkes

 

News Advisory:

 

Tuesday, May 9

 

Time: 2:45 pm, followed by Congressional briefing 3 - 4:30 pm

 

Location: U.S. Capitol Rm. HC8

 

Event: National physician group exposes hospital retaliation against

medical whistleblowers

 

Contact: Kathryn Serkes, Association of American Physicians &

Surgeons, 202 333 3855, kaserkes

 

-- Medical Whistleblowers Announce Attack on Secret Hospital

Retaliation Tactics

 

-- Physician, Lawyer, Government, Security & Veteran Whistleblower

Groups Form New Task Force

 

The Semmelweis Society, national association dedicated to ending

medical peer-review injustice, will announce the formation of a new,

broad-based, non-partisan whistleblower task force to fight for

additional protection for medical whistleblowers. A four-point action

plan will be announced, including a Congressional investigation into

how many lives and how much money could be saved if healthcare workers

had a safe environment to report problems before they turn fatal.

 

The coalition includes physician, legal, government integrity,

security and veteran groups, such as the Association of American

Physicians & Surgeons, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the VA

Whistleblowers Coalition, the National Security Whistleblowers

Coalition, the Government Accountability Coalition, and Common Cause.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

The NIH reports 190,000 hospital deaths are due to errors. Those who

are most vocal in reporting problems or advocating for the best care

for patients are usually those who face retaliation within the

hospital system. Economic competitors look for ways to get other

doctors out of the picture.

 

The most common tool used against physicians is " bad-faith " peer

review, which is an internal process that is used to revoke hospital

privileges. These so-called " disruptive " physicians then face hard

ball tactics taught by lawyers in secret courses for hospitals to

eliminate those doctors without benefit of any legal due process.

 

Speakers include:

 

William Hinnant, M.D., President, Semmelweis Society

 

Larry Huntoon, M.D., PhD, Editor-In-chief, Journal of American

Physicians & Surgeons

 

Kevin Kuritzky, Medical Student expelled after exposing hospital neglect

 

Larry Polinar, M.D., victim of bad-faith peer review

 

Tom Devine, Government Accountability Project

 

Larry White, J.D., American Trial Lawyers Association

 

A Congressional policy briefing will follow the news conference, to be

kicked off by Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D.

 

For more information, see http://www.semmelweis.org

 

http://www.usnewswire.com/

 

-0-

 

/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/