St. Agnes Hospital of the City of Baltimore v. Riddick.

ABSTRACT

KIE The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires an obstetrics-gynecology residency program to provide full training in high-risk obstetrics and gynecological surgery. St. Agnes Hospital adheres to the ethical and moral teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore refuses to provide training in sterilization, abortion, and artificial contraception. When ACGME denied the hospital accreditation, the hospital sued, alleging a violation of the right to free exercise of religion. The U.S. District Court found that, under the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Facilities," the hospital was permitted to perform the full range of required procedures, provided these procedures were not aimed at preventing procreation or terminating pregnancy. Further, even had the hospital demonstrated a burden on its free exercise right, the state's compelling interest in satisfactory physician education outweighed the hospital's interests, because granting the hospital an institutional exemption would sacrifice the integrity of the accreditation system.^ieng