For many years, doctors working at Henepin Healthcare in Minneapolis were allowed to work side by side as police officers. But now, the new healthcare policy says that you have to choose between them.
Hennepin Healthcare has also announced that it has terminated its medical guidance contract with the Minneapolis Police Department, banning doctors from taking second positions as law enforcement officers. Star Tribune..
In a March 14 letter to staff obtained by the newspaper, Daniel Hoody, MD, Interim Chief Medical Officer of Hennepin Healthcare, said: Enforcement body. “
“We hear from the community and colleagues that continued distrust, especially about the unclear relationship between healthcare and law enforcement, affects their ability to seek care and feel safe. “Hoody writes.
In a statement Today’s MedPageWith these measures banning double employment, Hennepin Healthcare has “relationships with law enforcement agencies and other first responders to focus on providing care to the patients we serve. Clarify. “
“We will continue to work with public security agencies to provide the highest levels of care for our patients,” said a spokeswoman.
Edwin Lind JD, an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and a critical race theory scholar, said the decision to ban doctors from being double-employed as police officers “makes sense.” ..
Double employment as a doctor and police officer creates an ambiguous line between the responsibility of fulfilling the Hippocratic vow and the responsibility of enforcing the law, Lind said. The hospital’s policy to ban this type of double employment is to “clearly describe what the priorities are,” that is, the patient.
“After all, hospitals aren’t and shouldn’t be an extension of the cancer system,” Lind said. Today’s MedPage..
Hennepin Healthcare employs more than 800 clinicians, but only three work in law enforcement. Emergency physicians Paul Nystrom, MD, Jeffrey Ho, MD, Gregg Jones, MD. None of their lawyers responded to requests for comment.
In a previous interview with Star TribuneHo said there was no conflict of interest between his medical and law enforcement roles. “It’s my life’s job to develop these crossroads for public protection,” he said.
“The interface between law enforcement and medicine is there,” said Dr. Reed Smith, an associate professor of emergency medicine at George Washington University and an operational medical director for the Arlington County Fire Department and the National Medical Response Team-National Diet Library area. I have. “”
According to Smith, doctors typically provide police guidance on Narkan programs, CPR, and first aid. Today’s MedPage.. Physician involvement in law enforcement also allows injured people to receive immediate treatment in high escalation scenarios, he said.
According to Smith, some small departments may not be able to hire enough medical staff, so many rely on external contracts and volunteers. He said the policies implemented by Henepin Healthcare were disappointing because they could prevent some departments from receiving medical assistance.
According to the March 21 email obtained by Star TribuneNystrom said he would be fired on June 5.
“I recently quit the police or [Hennepin]And I decided not to quit my job as a police officer, “Nystrom wrote. Star TribuneNystrom’s lawyer said his client was “extremely disappointed” to leave his colleague.
Nystrom was previously criticized by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for not removing the “excitatory delirium” lesson from the medical instruction course for police officers. Excitatory delirium is a highly controversial concept that explains the sudden onset of aggression, especially in people who use drugs. This has been opposed by many medical professional organizations, including the American Medical Association.
In response to criticism from the mayor, Henepin Healthcare leadership announced an apology, “Our promise to no longer teach excitatory delirium and to deal with systemic racism intentionally. I couldn’t do it. “
Recently, Hennepin Healthcare has released an updated version of a training course that does not include lessons on excitatory delirium.
