March 27, 2020 Richard J. Pollack President and Chief Executive Officer American Hospital Association 800 10th Street, N.W. Two CityCenter, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20001-4956 Delivered by email to rick@aha.org Dear Mr. Pollack: We were appalled to read recent media reports about hospital administrators across the U.S. muzzling doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals with threats of disciplinary action for speaking out about coronavirus patient caseloads and dwindling hospital supplies needed to care for such patients.1 It is critical that the public and local, state, and federal government officials fully comprehend the scope of shortages of personal protective equipment, mechanical ventilators, intensive care unit beds, and other medical supplies so that appropriate steps can be taken to mitigate shortages of these essential medical resources, appropriately and fairly allocate limited resources, and thus protect the safety and welfare of health care workers and patients alike. Attempts to cover up these shortages by muzzling health care workers who are on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic are reprehensible and reckless and endanger public health. Although such actions may be commonplace in countries with authoritarian regimes, they are not acceptable in the U.S. The undersigned consumer advocacy, workers’ rights, science, research, public health, civil rights, human rights, and grassroots political organizations, labor unions, and individuals therefore demand that the American Hospital Association publicly denounce any such efforts to muzzle health care professionals and call on its member hospitals and health care systems to encourage their doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals to speak freely about coronavirus patient caseloads, dwindling hospital supplies, and any other challenges that should be immediately addressed. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent public health matter. Please contact Dr. Michael Carome, Director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, at mcarome@citizen.org with your response. Sincerely, Alliance for Retired Americans American Civil Liberties Union American Federation of Teachers 1 See https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927541 and https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927528. March 27, 2020 Letter to the American Hospital Association American Medical Student Association American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) BlueGreen Alliance Business for Medicare for All Center for Reproductive Rights Communications Workers of America Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces Consumer Action Debs-Jones-Douglass Institute Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund Doctors for America Equality North Carolina Glenn Paulson, Ph.D., BCES, Sc.D. (Hon.), Retired Professor, George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, (UAW) IUE-CWA Justice at Work Knowledge Ecology International Labor of Love Safety Training and Consulting (Diane Matthew Brown, CIT) Martin S. Kanovsky, M.D., FACP, FACC, FASNC, FASE Mary E Miller, R.N., M.N., Occupational Health Nurse MassCOSH Medicare for All Now Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd National Center for Health Research National Center for Healthy Housing National Center for Transgender Equality National Employment Law Project National Health Care for the Homeless Council National Nurses United National Partnership for Women & Families National Women’s Law Center National Women's Health Network New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy People's Action PhilaPOSH Physicians for Reproductive Health Progress America Progressive Democrats of America Progressive Doctors Public Advocacy for Kids Public Citizen Public Justice Center Right Care Alliance 2 March 27, 2020 Letter to the American Hospital Association SafeWork Washington San Francisco AIDS Foundation Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Social Security Works The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers United Steelworkers Universal Health Care Action Network V. Ram Krishnamoorthi, M.D., M.P.H., Chicago, Illinois Virginia Organizing Western New York Council on Occupational Safety & Health Worksafe 3