When Good Intentions Miss the Mark and Insults the Medical Professionals:

The language in the new law suggests that hospitals, doctors, and other maternal care providers are not already providing culturally competent, fair, and respectful care. By putting these principles into law, it implicitly questions whether current practices meet these standards. Let’s be clear: ensuring respectful and informed care is not a new idea in medicine—it’s a cornerstone of the profession. Doctors and nurses train for years to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care. Adding vague language to codify what they already do sends the message that they’re failing, which is not only unfair but could damage morale in a field already stretched thin.

The bill’s broad and subjective language—phrases like “culturally competent care” and “judgment-free advice”—opens the door to lawsuits.

What exactly qualifies as “judgment-free”? If a patient feels their care fell short of these loosely defined standards, even without medical negligence, they could claim discrimination or unfair treatment. This creates a legal minefield for medical professionals and institutions, discouraging them from taking on high-risk cases or making difficult medical decisions for fear of litigation. This new law adds layers of bureaucracy by mandating evaluations, recommendations, and updates to materials and practices. While accountability is important, these requirements burden already overworked health systems. Hospitals and care providers may spend more time meeting compliance standards than focusing on what truly matters—providing excellent care to patients. The real issue isn’t a lack of best practices but resource shortages and systemic barriers. Many hospitals, especially in underserved areas, need better funding, staffing, and infrastructure to implement best practices effectively. Instead of implying that providers aren’t doing their jobs, the focus should be on empowering them with resources to meet the high standards they already strive for.