Making Healthcare Fair for Everyone

ER Watchdog was founded by Richard S. Benedon, MD — board certified in Emergency Medicine since 1984 — to transform the landscape of emergency care. Our mission is to empower patients to navigate and challenge fraudulent billing practices, demand accountability, and advocate for their rights to quality care, compassionate treatment, and robust privacy protections.

With over four decades of experience as a physician champion and leader in emergency medicine, Dr. Benedon brings a legacy of excellence in clinical practice, quality management, leadership, and medical education.His extensive roles, including Medical Director, Chairman of Emergency Departments, Quality Management Committee Chair, at prestigious institutions, and clinical faculty positions, reflect the knowledge and capability for advancing patient care and safeguarding their rights.

ER Watchdog is committed to challenging harmful practices that undermine the integrity of emergency care, including profit-driven shortages of adequate ER beds and staffing, and the “boarding of admitted patients” in ER beds. These practices result in overcrowding, delays, and compromised care, all in the name of corporate profit. Furthermore, we expose and challenge the false pretense of the “greet by provider” or “medical screening exam,” which is nothing more than a superficial interaction that fails to represent actual patient care. This deceptive practice misleads the public and contributes to an overall decline in the quality of emergency services.

In addition to driving systemic change, ER Watchdog provides personalized support to each of our clients, helping them contest unfair billing practices and facilitating their efforts to report violations to regulatory agencies such as Medical Boards, the Department of Justice, Medicare, and the Department of Public Health.

By combining individual advocacy with a broader push for reform, ER Watchdog seeks to elevate care standards, protect patient dignity, and ensure fairness and transparency for everyone who enters an emergency department. Together, we are redefining the future of emergency medicine — prioritizing patients, privacy, and integrity above all.