Patients at Risk Powerful patient testimony to Senate committee about importance of physician-led care
Oct 18, 2025
Jeremy Wattenbarger, a digital forensics investigator and father of the late Betty Wattenbarger, shares his heart-wrenching story of seeking accountability after his daughter died due to a misdiagnosis by a pediatric nurse practitioner. He emphasizes the importance of physician-led care for patient safety and recounts the challenges of navigating regulatory oversight. Jeremy highlights the systemic issues with the Texas Board of Nursing, and raises concerns about removing delegation requirements that could jeopardize accountability in healthcare.
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Access Alone Doesn’t Ensure Safe Care
- Rebecca Bernard argues that increased access does not automatically equal better outcomes without high-quality care.
- She notes patients often don't know whether their clinician is a physician and would choose differently if they knew.
Fatal Misdiagnosis In Pediatric Urgent Care
- Jeremy Wattenbarger recounts bringing his daughter Betty to a pediatric urgent care where an APN misdiagnosed her and she died 15 hours later.
- He describes missed vitals, delayed charting, and an urgent care that lacked physician oversight.
Unlicensed Urgent Care And Weak Oversight
- Jeremy investigated the clinic and found it was an unlicensed LLC urgent care with little state oversight and weak nursing board action.
- He describes years of fighting the Board of Nursing to get the complaint taken seriously and limited disciplinary results.