Responses To Health Conscience Rule

Dr. Ramona Bates in her balanced coverage of the Health Conscience Protection Rule news in today's eMaxHealth writes "Those in favor of the new rule say, "Health-care providers shouldn't have to check their consciences at the hospital door." Those against fear that patients may have problems receiving the care they need. These issues are most likely to arise with the morning after pills, fertility medicine, and end of life care."

National Health Law Program has releases a statement on “Conscience Clause” regulations in which it says that the "sweeping regulation ignores standards of care and patient needs.

"Refusal clauses allow providers to “opt out” of meeting those standards. “The new regulation could potentially allow virtually any worker in a health care, wellness or research setting to refuse to ‘assist in the performance’ of a health care service,” Fogel says. “The Department of Health and Human Services suggests that workers in even the most tangential positions are ‘assisting in the performance.’ Allowing workers in a hospital or clinic to interfere with health care delivery based on their personal beliefs undermines the ability of the provider to establish protocols and policies, and ultimately jeopardizes patient health.

“We already have a well-developed body of laws that protect providers’ religious beliefs, but this regulation could turn the orderly delivery of health care into chaos. Rather than providing clarity and direction, the regulation raises all kinds of questions for those who are committed to providing quality health care and for patients who need that care.”

We believe that the doctors and physicians should have the right to go with their conscience and follow their religious ethics when providing treatment for the needy. If my religion or ethic does not allow abortion and considers it as a killing how can I conduct an abortion.

Indeed it would be hard to do the profession without a such law. When the National Health Law Program says that "we already have a well-developed body of laws that protect providers' religious belief..." than why does it call the health conscience protection rule a "blow to health care providers and patients."