Health Care Truth and Transparency Act Revisited

[dpmgrad]

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Here is another interesting posting came in my email box:

AMA Supports Re-Introduced Health Care Truth and Transparency Act

Today's introduction of bipartisan legislation that would make it unlawful for health care providers to misrepresent their qualifications to patients was applauded by the American Medical Association and physician specialty societies. "It's important that patients know the qualifications of the health care professional caring for them," said AMA Board Member William Hazel Jr., MD. "The AMA and its medical specialty partners applaud Reps. John Sullivan and Jim McDermott for introducing legislation that protects patients by strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's authority to challenge misleading marketing by non-physician medical providers."

Joining the AMA in public support of the Health Care Truth and Transparency Act of 2007 (H.R. 2260) are the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, American Psychiatric Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Osteopathic Association, American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Public confusion about the qualifications of various types of health care providers has led to the need for legislation that requires non-physicians to clearly state their professional credentials in advertisements. A nationwide survey found that more than 70 percent think a podiatrist and optometrist are medical doctors. More than 50 percent think chiropractors and psychologists are medical doctors.

Source: AMA

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Here is another interesting posting came in my email box:

AMA Supports Re-Introduced Health Care Truth and Transparency Act

Today's introduction of bipartisan legislation that would make it unlawful for health care providers to misrepresent their qualifications to patients was applauded by the American Medical Association and physician specialty societies. "It's important that patients know the qualifications of the health care professional caring for them," said AMA Board Member William Hazel Jr., MD. "The AMA and its medical specialty partners applaud Reps. John Sullivan and Jim McDermott for introducing legislation that protects patients by strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's authority to challenge misleading marketing by non-physician medical providers."

Joining the AMA in public support of the Health Care Truth and Transparency Act of 2007 (H.R. 2260) are the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, American Psychiatric Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Osteopathic Association, American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Public confusion about the qualifications of various types of health care providers has led to the need for legislation that requires non-physicians to clearly state their professional credentials in advertisements. A nationwide survey found that more than 70 percent think a podiatrist and optometrist are medical doctors. More than 50 percent think chiropractors and psychologists are medical doctors.

Source: AMA

👎

I understand and support the idea but I don't like the wording of the law. I go back the my original arguement, why is it the law states that only MDs, DOs and DDS are listed as "doctors." If the bill states MDs and DOs, I might be okay with it; but what makes a DDS more of a doctor than DPM?

 

[Feli]

I see nothing wrong with this. It's mostly just ego-based, but I think that patients have the right to know how much training their provider has. Here in south Florida, I can tell you that many health care settings have 'Office of Dr. So-and-so, MD' on the door, yet they often send in a PA or NP with a white coat into the room to see the patients whose chief complaint fits that scope. The provider may say, "hello, I'm a physician assistant who works with Dr. So-and-so," but they may also just be wearing no name tag and say "hello, Mr. Smith, let's have a look." The worst part is that, when you get the bill, you'd sure think you were seen by the MD himself because the office bills the 2nd level provider very close (or the same?) as the MD whose name is on the office door.

Personally, as a patient, I've also begun telling my entire history of present illness to a RN (or maybe it was a NP student?) in a white coat because I didn't realize she was just there to do the preliminary vital signs.

As I'm reading Bates to brush up for clinic, I see nothing wrong with nametags for all health care staff. I sure hope the hospital or group practice that I will eventually work for mandates name tags as well as staff introducing their name and degree to the patient as the enter the exam rooms. I think it should be a common courtesy to the patients, not just something read in textbooks.

👎

I understand and support the idea but I don't like the wording of the law. I go back the my original arguement, why is it the law states that only MDs, DOs and DDS are listed as "doctors." If the bill states MDs and DOs, I might be okay with it; but what makes a DDS more of a doctor than DPM?

Yeah, I don't really understand that either.^

Maybe we should just mandate that everyone has their medical training boldly embroidered on the back of their white coats 😀

MD/DO: 4yrs grad school + 1-8? yrs residency +/- fellowship
DPM: 4yrs grad school + 0-4 yrs residency +/- fellowship
DDS/DMD: 4yrs grad school + 0-4? yrs residency +/- fellowship
Chiropractor/Optometrist: 4yrs grad school + ?
PA/NP: 2-3yrs grad school + ?
Psychologist: ?
RN: 2-4yrs college + ?
LPN: 1-2yrs college

 

[densmore22]

Why does every other profession have to conform to what the almighty MD wants? I think EVERY professional should put their degree earned behind their name. Badass Densmore, M.D. Personally to me, it just looks more dignified than Dr. Badass Densmore (I used me on purpose too, 😀 ). Any schmoe can call themselves a Dr. if they've obtained an advanced education i.e. Optometrist, Professor, Audiologist, etc. I just think it would go further to help EVERYONE out and not set the standard that MD is the come all end all of any doctorate degree (Because it's not). I'm ready to fight someone, bring it on!!

 

[oncogene]

Why does every other profession have to conform to what the almighty MD wants? I think EVERY professional should put their degree earned behind their name. Badass Densmore, M.D. Personally to me, it just looks more dignified than Dr. Badass Densmore (I used me on purpose too, 😀 ). Any schmoe can call themselves a Dr. if they've obtained an advanced education i.e. Optometrist, Professor, Audiologist, etc. I just think it would go further to help EVERYONE out and not set the standard that MD is the come all end all of any doctorate degree (Because it's not). I'm ready to fight someone, bring it on!!

Agreed!👍

 

[Podman]

I'm with feelgood on that one - why are the dentists protected in this bill, and we aren't?

To me this bill really serves no purpose, because it is ultimately the professional's obligation to state his title, training (via degree), and what he's here to do - Even if 70 percent of the nation thinks that podiatrists and optometrists are "medical doctors" (in accordance to dpmgrad's email) -really, I'd like to see how much of that percentage has been victimized by DPM's or OD's practicing beyond their scope.

Educating the public about healthcare professionals is not going to come by exclusion and reserving titles to MD's and DMD's - instead of wasting money on those bills, why not do something constructive like funding educational/tutorial programs in the communities to really educate the patients about the array of healthcare professionals out there and the services that they provide.

 

[dpmgrad]

For those interested, information about AMA supporting the Health Care Truth and Transparency Act can be found on the AMA website at:

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/17561.html

 

[Feli]

The funny thing is that far less than half of all MD/DOs are AMA members. I'm not even sure if AMA views can be considered a majority representation of the profession?

It's tough to say if APMA views are the views of the majority of DPMs, but with around 80% of all pods in the organization, I'd say when they publish support or opposition to legislature, it's a fair indicator of what most DPMs are looking for...

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

If DPMs were listed I would support the bill b/c of the new DNP clinicians. I think that it is very confusing for a nurse to introduce themselves as a doctor.

 

[Podman]

If DPMs were listed I would support the bill b/c of the new DNP clinicians. I think that it is very confusing for a nurse to introduce themselves as a doctor.

theoretically, I agree with that 100% but unfortunately, the AMA is concerned with the 70% of feel that podiatrists and optometrists are doctors.