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New Mexico Chapter
American College of Cardiology
Dear New Mexico State Legislators:
As a practicing cardiologist of the New Mexico chapter of the American College of Cardiology, I urge you to support HB 372 introduced by Representative Tim D. Lewis. HB 372 will protect healthcare workers by providing immunity for medical personnel who render care during a declared state of emergency regardless of compensation. This bill is modeled on measures enacted in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.
As you will recall, medical personnel in Louisiana heroically stayed at their posts and rendered care. Some were sued for malpractice. Others were accused of crimes including murder in cases where patients under their care died. Subsequently, the state of Louisiana enacted laws granting health care workers immunity from liability in future emergencies and disasters.
Passage of HB 372 will remove a substantial impediment for health care providers in New Mexico in the event of emergency and disaster situations before they occur. This bill must be passed to protect healthcare workers who respond and remain on-post when crises occur. Without HB 372 very few physicians and allied health care personnel in New Mexico will risk losing their licenses and perhaps even their freedom by rendering aid to the helpless in emergency situations. Our geography of widely scattered communities and only a very few metropolitan areas means that those willing to render assistance must not be hampered by unreasonable concerns of being sued for their efforts. This is as much an issue for a highway vehicle accident or a heart attack patient in a remote area as it is for a devastating flood.
Please help me fight this injustice and support the healthcare workers of New Mexico by voting to approve HB 372 in your committee. Let’s not fool ourselves; future health threats will continue to occur and the recent extreme weather confirms it. New Mexico must be prepared. Let’s not allow a repeat of the Katrina nightmare or even a much smaller version of it to occur here. Please assist New Mexico’s healthcare workers to do their jobs with compassion and safety under all circumstances. Support HB 372. Thank you.
Sincerely,
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