Illinois lawmakers pass bill to expand reporting of sexual abuse in health care settings

Under the bill, doctors’ offices and clinics affiliated with hospitals would be required to report suspected patient abuse to the Illinois Department of Public Health, which would trigger a state investigation. Going forward, hospitals would only be required to report suspected abuse that occurred within their own facilities.

The House passed the bill unanimously Tuesday night. The Senate earlier passed the bill unanimously. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill Wednesday morning.

This bill: Tribune Survey The investigation found that well-known health care systems allowed health care workers accused of sexually abusing patients to continue practicing medicine and, in some cases, accused the same workers of abusing additional patients.

As part of the investigation, the Tribune Details too Endeavor Health’s role in allowing former obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Fabio Ortega to continue practicing despite complaints from patients, some of which related to incidents that allegedly occurred at an Endeavor-affiliated physician’s office outside the hospital.

Ortega is faced lawsuit More than 60 patients have accused him of sexual assault and abuse. Plead guilty In 2021, Dr. Ortega was sued for sexually abusing two patients. Most of the patients who filed the lawsuits also accused the health care system where Dr. Ortega worked of failing to protect them.

Both the Illinois Hospital Association and the Illinois Department of Public Health worked with Illinois Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), who first introduced the bill, and lawyers representing dozens of women who have sued Ortega worked with her on the bill.

One of the lawyers, Tamara Holder, who along with co-counsel Joanna Raymond and Stephane Blandin represent most of the women suing Ortega and Endeavor, called the bill’s passage a “huge victory.”

“When women complain about physician misconduct in hospital offices and outside hospital settings, where most physician abuse of patients occurs, their voices will finally be heard,” Holder said.

During a Tuesday night session, Cassidy told House members that the bill would close a loophole in existing law. “While there is still work to be done to ensure patient safety in health care settings, this is an important first step,” he said.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), said in a news release after the bill passed the Senate over the weekend that the bill is a “powerful step” toward preventing future patient abuse.

Carrie Ward, CEO of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, called the bill a “significant expansion” of reporting requirements.

The Tribune’s reporting also identified several hospitals that failed to report suspected patient abuse to the state health department as required, and these facilities appear to have largely gone unpunished as a result.

investigation Revealed They say loopholes in state law and slow response by state agencies responsible for disciplining licensed health care workers sometimes allow doctors and other health care workers to continue providing care for months or years after patients allege sexual misconduct.

Chris Slaby, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which oversees the licensing and discipline of health care professionals, said in a statement that the agency is working with lawmakers on further reforms and “expects to take up the bill during the veto session in the fall.”

The Chicago Tribune’s Jeremy Gohner contributed to this report.