Bill > SB5998

This bill aims to strengthen whistleblower protections for healthcare providers and facilities in Washington. The key provisions include: 1. Ensuring the confidentiality of whistleblowers who, in good faith, report concerns about the quality of healthcare to the Department of Health or participate in related investigations. The bill provides these whistleblowers with legal protections against workplace retaliation, such as termination, demotion, or harassment. 2. Establishing a medical staff privilege sanction process that must be followed by healthcare facilities when revoking, suspending, or reducing a provider's medical staff privileges. This process must meet the requirements set forth in federal law, ensuring due process for healthcare providers. 3. Requiring healthcare facilities to comply with federal peer review requirements when taking certain adverse actions against medical staff, such as revocation, suspension, or reduction of privileges or membership. The bill amends an existing state law (RCW 43.70.075) and adds a new section (to Chapter 7.71 RCW) to implement these protections for healthcare whistleblowers and providers.