HB5238 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 18034 MJP 33222 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB5238

Introduced , by Rep. Robert W. Pritchard

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

210 ILCS 85/10.8a new

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that every physician employed by a hospital or hospital affiliate shall have specified rights relating to matters including compensation, academic freedom, medical records, evaluation of clinical activity, performance of activities outside of defined employed time, conflict of interest disclosures, resource management, and patient advocacy.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning physician rights.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Hospital Licensing Act is amended by adding Section 10.8a as follows:

(210 ILCS 85/10.8a new)

Sec. 10.8a. Employed Physician's Bill of Rights.

(a) This Section may be referred to as the Employed Physician's Bill of Rights.

(b) Every physician employed by a hospital or hospital affiliate shall have the right:

(1) to compensation based on the totality of the physician's activities for the hospital or hospital affiliate employing the physician, including, but not limited to, educational endeavors and preparation, committee participation, student and resident activities, and administrative responsibilities;

(2) to academic freedom, without censorship in clinical research or academic pursuits;

(3) to not be solely responsible for data entry, coding, and management of the use of electronic medical record systems;

(4) to evaluation of clinical activity through the peer review process and to be judged only by clinicians and not corporate executives;

(5) to perform activities outside of defined employed time boundaries solely at the prerogative of the individual physician and not the hospital or hospital affiliate employing the physician, unless the activities directly conflict with or increase risk for the hospital or hospital affiliate;

(6) to have conflict of interest disclosures limited to the physician's activities that directly affect the hospital or hospital affiliate employing the physician and the disclosures should only be made to entities that directly reimburse the physician during his or her period of employment;

(7) to have resources appropriately allocated by the hospital or hospital affiliate employing the physician for continuing medical education as defined by State licensure guidelines; and

(8) to be legally empowered to be a patient advocate and to be allowed to adhere to the spirit of the Hippocratic Oath allowing patient privacy, confidentiality, and continuity of a patient's health care and dignity.