Sidney Zion, NY writer, dies; daughter’s death helped spur limits on intern, resident hours
By APMonday, August 3, 2009
Sidney Zion dies; NY writer spurred medical reform
NEW YORK — Sidney Zion, a writer who turned a family tragedy into a campaign to reform medical residencies, has died.
Zion died Sunday at Calvary Hospital in Brooklyn. He was 75. Adam Zion says his father had been suffering from bladder cancer.
Zion’s daughter died at New York Hospital in 1984. Zion and his wife sued, saying doctors made a mistake in treating her. He also charged that the hospital systematically overworked and undersupervised doctors-in-training.
New York Hospital paid a small fine and admitted to procedural lapses in connection to the case.
In 1989, New York became the first state to regulate intern and resident hours, limiting them to 24-hour shifts. Nationwide regulations came in 2003.
