Governor vetoes bill, but access to care problem remains

Last night, Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed HB 2315—legislation that would have had a significant impact on physicians who care for emergency patients. A statewide coalition of health care providers, led by ArMA, the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association and the Arizona College of Emergency Physicians, supported and worked hard to ensure passage of this legislation designed to inject legal fairness into the EDs—an environment that, as you know, too often holds providers accountable for outcomes beyond their control due to lack of pertinent medical information almost always associated with emergencies.

We have been told by the governor’s staff that she received approximately 900 phone calls and e-mails in support of her signing this bill—an incredible show of support from the health care community. This type of response also proves that the health care community can effectively mobilize and communicate to decision-makers our position on issues that are important to us and our patients.

We owe many thanks to our Arizona State Legislature for their support of this legislation and recognition of the gravity of this crisis. Senator Carolyn Allen is specifically to be commended for introducing this bill and for her ardent support of this issue on behalf of the welfare of Arizona’s citizens.

While we know from experience that controversial issues such as this bill can take years to reach desirable resolution, we’ve been fortunate to see passage of Elder Abuse, Affidavit of Merit, Expert Witness and I’m Sorry legislation very recently. These new laws are beginning to make an impact but, they alone, will not solve the problems plaguing our medical community, and our work is far from done.

As health care providers, we are trained to find answers and to cure the sick. We will continue to fight for what we see as answers to this problem and work to cure the ills of the system. The citizens of Arizona,our patients,are counting on us and we will not give up!