The term "whistleblower" generally refers to:

The term "whistleblower" specifically refers to an employee who reports illegal or unethical conduct within an organization. This can include reporting activities such as fraud, violations of regulations, or other misconduct that could impact patient safety or organizational integrity. Whistleblowers play a crucial role in promoting accountability and transparency, as they help ensure that unethical practices are brought to light, thereby potentially preventing harm and protecting the interests of patients and the organization as a whole. This reporting can be done internally within the organization or externally to regulatory authorities, depending on various factors including the severity of the misconduct and organizational policies.

The other options provided do not accurately reflect the definition of a whistleblower. A manager who ignores compliance issues does not contribute to accountability; a compliance officer is typically responsible for ensuring adherence to regulations but does not serve as a whistleblower unless they report wrongdoing themselves; and a healthcare provider is primarily focused on delivering patient care and may not be involved in reporting misconduct unless they also witness unethical behavior.