Bill > S1767

This bill, known as the "Physician and Patient Safety Act," requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create regulations that protect physicians' due process rights when their hospital staff privileges or professional activities are at risk of termination, restriction, or reduction. Specifically, the bill mandates that physicians must be granted a fair hearing and appellate review through medical staff mechanisms before any adverse action is taken. The regulations would prohibit hospitals or third-party contractors from denying physicians these hearing rights or requiring physicians to waive these rights as a condition of employment. Additionally, the bill stipulates that such hearings must remain confidential and generally cannot be reported to external entities like the National Practitioner Data Bank, with exceptions only for ongoing patient safety threats or mandatory reporting requirements. These new regulations would need to be finalized and implemented within 18 months of the bill's enactment, aiming to provide physicians with more robust procedural protections in their professional settings.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1767/all-info