Whistleblowing

It is vital that you know how to report illegal activities that are being conducted in the healthcare setting. Illegal activities in the healthcare setting can range from fraud to a breach of confidentiality. The act of reporting such activities is sometimes known as whistleblowing. Whistleblower’s are protected from retaliation from employers by Occupational Health and Safety Laws or by the own state laws, so do not let that deter you from reporting prohibited actions. In order to inform the necessary authorities of the behavior being conducted you must follow your state’s reporting system. The designed system for informing authorities of these incidents can vary from state to state. For instance, in the state of Georgia when reporting abuse the system may be different than that of Hawaii or Michigan. In Georgia it is mandatory for certain personnel, such as nursing personnel, physicians, and physical therapists to report suspected abuse. Failure to report the suspected abuse by mandatory personnel can lead to being charged with a misdemeanor. Although, in Georgia there are people obligated to report such abuse, they are not the only ones who can make a statement about …show more content…
If you are a person who has a mandatory obligation to report suspected illegal activities and do not know how to report these incidents you can be charged with a misdemeanor. Also, it is important for you to know how to report these instances for your particular state the correct way. If you do not know how to do so and you inform the wrong authorities you run the risk of not having the investigation conducted, because that particular person may intentionally not report it to the necessary personnel. When you know how to report these accusations it is easier for an investigation to be held. There is more than one way to inform the proper authorities, these are just some ways in which you can report