Dr. Rayme Edler receives 2024's Whistleblower of the Year at the Anti-Fraud Coalition's 24th annual conference. She received this prestigious award after exposing systemic fraud within the Escambia County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) division, potentially impacting thousands of lives and bringing greater scrutiny to the qualifications of emergency medical technicians in the department. Dr. Edler was aided in her fight to expose gaps in training violations that endangered patients' lives by the Law Offices of Darth M. Newman, the Jonathan Kroner Law Office, and Nichols Kaster PLLP.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla., Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The prestigious Whistleblower of the Year Award is presented to people who achieved outstanding results, overcame especially challenging circumstances, and/or brought change to an industry through their incredible efforts in the last year. For 24 years, the National Anti-Fraud Coalition (TAF Coalition) has empowered whistleblowers who expose fraud on the government and the financial markets. The organization acknowledges the personal and professional sacrifices that honest individuals must make to protect others and see that wrongdoers are brought to justice.
The personal toll of being a whistleblower can be extensive, as 2024's Whistleblower of the Year can attest: "I would walk around wondering if somebody was following me. I was worried about the safety of my daughter... It was just, it was outrageous."
In 2018, and after noticing a rash of bad EMS outcomes including more than one death, Dr. Edler became Medical Director of Escambia County's EMS. As Medical Director. She quickly uncovered a scheme involving fraudulent CPR and similar training certifications. Proper training and recertification are vital for patient care and ensuring paramedics and EMTs stay current with medical guidelines. Dr. Edler's complaints led to investigations, state criminal charges against four individuals, and additional enforcement proceedings and fines imposed by the Florida Department of Health.
In her efforts to address these issues, Dr. Edler faced severe harassment and retaliation from the County, including denial of training requests, resource deprivation, isolation, and termination. Despite very public criticism, she persevered in advocating for patients' well-being.
Dr. Edler filed a qui tam lawsuit which was litigated for years by Darth M. Newman, head attorney at the Law Offices of Darth M. Newman, and a coalition of other law firms. The county eventually agreed to pay nearly $6 million to resolve the fraud and retaliation allegations. Dr. Edler received a significant portion of that figure.
Dr. Edler's tireless advocacy and the legal acumen of Darth M. Newman and the rest of the litigation team led to positive changes in local EMS training and service delivery. Dr. Edler is a credit and asset to her profession and her community.
Media Contact
Darth M. Newman, Law Offices of Darth M. Newman LLC, 1 4124363443, [email protected], www.dnewmanlaw.com
SOURCE Law Offices of Darth M. Newman LLC
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