Celebrating National Doctors’ Day and the Role of Safety in the Healthcare Industry

This week, we honored National Doctors’ Day, a tribute to the nearly 1 million dedicated physicians in this country who work to provide quality medical care to Americans and their families. We want to recognize their unwavering efforts in offering care that prioritizes patient well-being, striving to prevent harm while maximizing benefits.

A key principle of the physicians Hippocratic Oath is beneficence: to do good and promote the patient’s well-being. Often, these healthcare professionals rely on FDA-regulated medical equipment to ensure that the treatments and interventions they provide are safe, effective, and in the best interest of their patients.

As discussions continue about right to repair legislation that would give consumers autonomy in repairing the products they own, it’s crucial to remember the importance of upholding the precision and integrity of the machines that allow physicians to uphold their oath.

One looming threat to the healthcare industry comes from overtly broad right to repair legislation that could be misconstrued to include simple everyday objects up to complicated MRI machines. It doesn’t take an expert to understand that these devices are far from the same.

Preliminary information suggests that third party repairs on medical equipment could result in faulty functioning. More information is needed. 

If right to repair policies include medical devices, patient lives would be put at risk. Medical device right to repair would allow unregulated repairpersons to access FDA-regulated medical equipment needed to diagnose and treat patients properly.

Physicians are essential to diagnosing and treating various medical conditions through extensive education and experience. However, if the complex equipment they rely on takes a harrowing turn due to improper repairs by an unregulated third party, it could lead to oversight gaps and potential patient risks. Not holding all services to the same level of accountability increases the chances of defective repairs, which may endanger both patients and doctors.