'Chilling effect': National experts decry decision against abortion doctor Caitlin Bernard

[Nevilledog]

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2023/05/26/doctors-react-indiana-abortion-case-caitlin-bernard-reprimand/70261267007/

Dressed in white coats, Drs. Tracey Wilkinson and Caroline Rouse were among the first to arrive at Caitlin Bernard’s Thursday hearing in front of the Indiana medical licensing board. When the hearing ended nearly 15 hours later, they were among the last to leave.

Six months after Indiana's Republican attorney general filed a complaint against the Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist, the board voted to reprimand and fine Bernard on Thursday, finding that she violated privacy laws in giving a reporter information about a 10-year-old rape victim.

But representatives of the medical community nationwide – from individual doctors to the American Medical Association to an author of HIPAA – don’t think Bernard did anything wrong. Further, they say, the decision will have a chilling effect on those involved with patient care.

“This sends a message to all doctors everywhere that political persecution can be happening to you next for providing health care to your patients,” Wilkinson said.

“It’s terrible,” Rouse said. They’d just spent hours “listening to our friend and our colleague be put on trial for taking care of her patient and providing evidence-based health care, and that is incredibly demoralizing as a physician.”

*snip*

[Eko]

1. That's effed up.

So many states moving to authoritarian actions.

[Irish_Dem]

2. The Putin/GOP goal is to demoralize Americans, and install learned helplessness.

Makes for a docile and obedient population.

[rubbersole]

3. Divide and conquer.

It's working.

[Irish_Dem]

5. Yes their diabolical plan has been quite successful.

[Lunabell]

4. This is kkkrap!

I'm a nurse and I know HIPAA, she did nothing against HIPAA. She's allowed to share stories as long as no names or other identifying information is revealed. The media outed the patient, not the doctor.

[drmeow]

6. I predict a sharp reduction

in top performing medical students doing residencies and/or internships in Indiana.

[ShazzieB]

12. Especially in OB/GYN.

And that goes for a lot of states that have been enacting these crazy abortion bans. Nobody in their right mind is going to want to do an OB/GYN residency in a state where they have to make treatment decisions based on anything other than the appropriate standard of care that's best for the patient. If I were a medical school grad looking for a residency, I would want to go someplace where I could be confident of learning the best way to practice medicine, not how to decide how long I would have to withhold treatment of a patient with an ectopic pregnancy or one whose water had broken so as to avoid breaking some stupid law.

I expect a drop-off in people applying to medical schools in those states as well. I just wonder how long it will take before some of these states realize they're in deep trouble and facing serious doctor shortages.

[Solly Mack]

7. K&R

[Kid Berwyn]

8. Indiana Medical Licensing Board should be ashamed.

As any one who agrees with the bullshit actions against a good doctor.

[stopdiggin]

9. while it's a real stretch to find

a breach of confidentiality (which this board managed to do)

the following: “listening to our friend and our colleague be put on trial for taking care of her patient and providing evidence-based health care .."

Is simply not true either. That is not what the hearing was about. The standard of care, and type of care provided, was never at issue here. The board may have had a motive and desire to 'muzzle' this doctor (completely erroneously, IMO) - but they were not trying to limit or question the care.

[erronis]

10. These RW excuses for lawmakers will end up scurrying back into the woodwork

if there is any type of justice.

And I believe that there will be real justice and a cleansing in the next 2/4 year cycles.

And I believe that these roaches will hide in the woodwork for another 4-8 years and come out and try again. Same vermin, perhaps slightly different messaging. Evangelicals and dumb-asses will welcome them.

[stage left]

11. I certainly hope that you are correct.

Right now I would give anything to be able to leave the US or at least the state I live in.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. Over 500 Hoosier physicians expresses disappointment with the treatment of Dr. Caitlan Bernard

Link to tweet