Milwaukee, WI, May 15, 2025 — The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) proudly supports the reintroduction of the Physician and Patient Safety Act (S. 1767/H.R. 3413), a bipartisan and bicameral bill aimed at ensuring due process protections for all emergency physicians, including those employed by third-party contract management groups.
As emergency departments across the country increasingly rely on third-party staffing arrangements, many physicians are denied basic due process. This critical legislation would correct that inequity by guaranteeing due process protections to all hospital-based physicians, regardless of their employment structure.
“This legislation addresses a fundamental issue that directly impacts both physician integrity and patient safety,” said Robert Frolichstein, MD FAAEM, President of AAEM. “When physicians can be terminated without cause or warning, it discourages them from speaking up about unsafe conditions or advocating for their patients. This bill restores a critical layer of protection necessary for high-quality, ethical medical care.”
The Physician and Patient Safety Act aligns with AAEM’s long standing advocacy for transparency, accountability, and fairness in emergency medicine. By reinforcing due process rights, the bill strengthens the physician’s role as an independent medical advocate and ensures that emergency department physicians are able to maintain their Hippocratic Oath and put their patient’s health first.
“There is no greater policy imperative for patient safety and quality care than enacting this due process legislation,” added Dr. Frolichstein. “It is a driving force of our organization’s mission.”
AAEM commends the bipartisan group of lawmakers for their leadership in bringing this bill back to Congress and urges swift consideration and passage.
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