Indiana County Requires Abortion Practitioner to Have Hospital Privileges

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 14, 2008   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Indiana County Requires Abortion Practitioner to Have Hospital Privileges

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 14
, 2008

Evansville, IN (LifeNews.com) — An Indiana county has established a new precedent the rest of the state can follow by making sure abortion practitioners there have admitting privileges at local hospitals. That’s important in the ever-increasing cases of botched abortions where women need immediate medical care.

Vanderburgh County becomes first county in Indiana to put the basic requirement in place.

Last week, Vanderburgh County commissioners approved the new requirement and Indiana Right to Life president tells LifeNews.com the commission voted unanimously with both Republicans and Democrats agreeing to the requirement.

Under the new ordinance, any doctor doing abortions must disclose to patients the name of the hospital with which admitting privileges are maintained so as to facilitate better follow-up care in the event of post-abortion complications.

Hospital admitting privileges assure better care for mothers who may experience significant medical complications immediately following or during an abortion.

Fichter says he encourages other counties in Indiana to enact similar requirements and urges pro-life advocates nationwide to press their local officials for the same policy.

“Regardless of how you feel about the issue of abortion, everyone should applaud the Vanderburgh County Commission for taking this proactive step in making sure that proper safety requirements are in place if a woman experiences complications after an abortion," he said.

The county commission’s decision comes after Fichter’s group unsuccessfully tried to get the Indiana legislature to adopt a statewide requirement that abortion practitioners have admitting privileges locally.

Legislative attempts in 2007 and 2008 to enact statewide hospital admitting privileges requirements for doctors performing abortions were approved in the Indiana Senate with overwhelming numbers only to be defeated in the Indiana House by hostile committee assignments.

Ft. Wayne obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Geoff Cly testified before lawmakers and recounted his experience treating women injured by abortion providers and underscored how more medical help is needed for women involved in botched abortions.

According to Americans United for Life, a national pro-life group that promotes state legislation, abortion practitioners in eleven states are required to maintain local hospital admitting privileges.

These states include Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

The Vanderburgh County ordinance is thought to be the first locally-passed ordinance addressing the issue.

Related web sites:
Indiana Right to Life – https://www.indianalife.org

 

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