Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law May 2 preventing nonphysicians from using specialty titles such as "doctor," in an effort to promote transparency for patients.
Senate Bill 197 was written by state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a certified anesthesiologist assistant. It's summary outlines an aim "to prohibit deceptive or misleading terms or false representations by healthcare practitioners in advertisements and representations" and to do the same regarding the "misappropriation of medical or medical specialty titles."
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
FiremedicMike said:
YOU don't, because you're in the system. Ignoring healthcare literacy of the average person in America is the single most important factor in why people fail to realize that this is actually an issue.
Healthcare literacy is an issue, sure. But this isn't about healthcare literacy. Not allowing people to use their earned honorific does nothing to address healthcare literacy.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
This reminds me of when hospitals decided that all disciplines should wear color coded scrubs "for the patients" To understand roles. LOL. Let's not pretend that status symbol nonsense is about improving care.
Healthcare literacy is an issue, sure. But this isn't about healthcare literacy. Not allowing people to use their earned honorific does nothing to address healthcare literacy.
It does to those who insist that it is perfectly benign to call themself a doctor in a clinical setting when they aren't a physician.
People hear doctor and assume physician, because they don't generally understand much of healthcare system - which is all about healthcare literacy.
Is someone in this thread insisting that is perfectly benign or can you provide a example from the wild?
Literally everyone who says "they earned the degree, they can call themselves a doctor in a clinical setting" - but I have little desire to go around and around with you again. Your approach to "discussion" is tiresome at best.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
FiremedicMike said:
It does to those who insist that it is perfectly benign to call themself a doctor in a clinical setting when they aren't a physician.
People hear doctor and assume physician, because they don't generally understand much of healthcare system - which is all about healthcare literacy.
People assuming that someone is a medical doctor because they have the honorific "doctor" is not an example of healthcare illiteracy. Healthcare illiteracy is when someone believes something about their health or their healthcare that is not based on evidence. For example believing that the covid vaccine makes you get covid. A belief about the meaning of the honorific "doctor" is not a healthcare belief.
But just for the sake of argument, let's assume that misunderstanding the term doctor does count as healthcare illiteracy. We address illiteracy through education not by some Orwellian control over language. I'm Doctor Trippin, your nurse practitioner. Or I'm Doctor Eyeballs your optometrist.
My last point is this. Healthcare literacy is measurable. Obviously if it improves under these circumstances that will play out in the evidence. Or if it improves any outcome at all, that will play out. In the meantime, Georgia can look forward to the immediate consequences of disrespecting every non MD doctor in the state.
People assuming that someone is a medical doctor because they have the honorific "doctor" is not an example of healthcare illiteracy. Healthcare illiteracy is when someone believes something about their health or their healthcare that is not based on evidence. For example believing that the covid vaccine makes you get covid. A belief about the meaning of the honorific "doctor" is not a healthcare belief.
But just for the sake of argument, let's assume that misunderstanding the term doctor does count as healthcare illiteracy. We address illiteracy through education not by some Orwellian control over language. I'm Doctor Trippin, your nurse practitioner. Or I'm Doctor Eyeballs your optometrist.
My last point is this. Healthcare literacy is measurable. Obviously if it improves under these circumstances that will play out in the evidence. Or if it improves any outcome at all, that will play out. In the meantime, Georgia can look forward to the immediate consequences of disrespecting every non MD doctor in the state.
Personal Health Literacy - the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decision and actions for themselves and others (CDC, 2023).
1. I seriously doubt DNPs regularly introduce themselves as "Dr. FiremanMike, your Nurse Practitioner", but I will concede that I don't work with any DNPs currently. With that said, I base this opinion on my 4 decades of observation and study of human behavior.
2. Once people hear "Dr. FiremanMike" and a bunch of other words, their brain will shortcut that statement into terms they can understand which stops at doctor, which elicits an understanding of doctor as physician.
3. Putting together the CDC definition and my above statement, people understand and will be making their healthcare decisions based on advice given to them by someone that they believe to be a physician.
4. For full disclosure, I have had a strong desire to earn my NP and I am not Anti-NP or PA. I am currently working towards my NP, but I have zero delusion that I will be equal to a physician and in fact I am terrified of the idea of complete independence. I fear the loss of physician collaboration will leave me underprepared in complex cases. Even if someday I am eventually roped into earning a DNP, I will not ever address myself as "Dr. FiremanMike" in anything other than an academic setting because I implicitly understand that it is disingenuous.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
FiremedicMike said:
Literally everyone who says "they earned the degree, they can call themselves a doctor in a clinical setting" - but I have little desire to go around and around with you again. Your approach to "discussion" is tiresome at best.
That's an interesting interpretation of the reality that people earning degrees have the right to use the titles associated with the degrees. I'd say your approach is hyperbolic rather than substantive. That is, indeed, tiresome.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
FiremedicMike said:
Personal Health Literacy - the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decision and actions for themselves and others (CDC, 2023).
1. I seriously doubt DNPs regularly introduce themselves as "Dr. FiremanMike, your Nurse Practitioner", but I will concede that I don't work with any DNPs currently. With that said, I base this opinion on my 4 decades of observation and study of human behavior.
2. Once people hear "Dr. FiremanMike" and a bunch of other words, their brain will shortcut that statement into terms they can understand which stops at doctor, which elicits an understanding of doctor as physician.
3. Putting together the CDC definition and my above statement, people understand and will be making their healthcare decisions based on advice given to them by someone that they believe to be a physician.
4. For full disclosure, I have had a strong desire to earn my NP and I am not Anti-NP or PA. I am currently working towards my NP, but I have zero delusion that I will be equal to a physician and in fact I am terrified of the idea of complete independence. I fear the loss of physician collaboration will leave me underprepared in complex cases. Even if someday I am eventually roped into earning a DNP, I will not ever address myself as "Dr. FiremanMike" in anything other than an academic setting because I implicitly understand that it is disingenuous.
Your personal "serious doubt" about how introductions are interpreted when you admit that you don't currently work with DNPs sounds like anecdote.
If patients shortcut to Doctor and forget the NP part, how does that adversely affect their understanding of the instruction or health information they've received from the Doctor? Might old school patients take the instruction from what they believe to be a medical doctor more seriously than they might a nurse?
I sure hope no professional gets "roped into" an advanced practice role that they don't really want.
For those that haven't read it, the enjoined version contains the following regarding NPs and PAs using the honorific "doctor" in their practice:
Quote
(d.1)(1) An advanced practice registered nurse shall verbally identify himself or herself as an advanced practice registered nurse during each patient interaction in a clinical setting. An advanced practice registered nurse who holds a doctorate degree and identifies himself or herself with the title 'doctor' while in a clinical setting shall clearly state that he or she is not a medical doctor or physician.
(2) A physician assistant shall verbally identify himself or herself as a physician assistant during each patient interaction in a clinical setting. A physician assistant who holds a doctorate degree and identifies himself or herself with the title 'doctor' while in a clinical setting shall clearly state that he or she is not a medical doctor or physician.
(3) No health care practitioner shall identify or refer to himself or herself in a clinical setting with:
(A) Deceptive or misleading terms or false representations; or
(B) Any medical or medical specialty titles, unless such health care practitioner is a physician licensed pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 34 of this title.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
FiremedicMike said:
This statement only further demonstrates willful desire to cherry pick statements out of context to try to inflate the strength of your argument.
I decided to test the the waters again to see if you were capable of legitimate debate, you have shown me once again that this isn't possible.
That's an interesting pov as you cherry pick my comment, completely avoiding all legitimate debate. I mean you didn't even make an attempt to discuss the topic after I responded to and used your own words.
In legitimate debate, is it appropriate to discuss if evidence is empirical or anecdotal?
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FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN
2,322 Posts
Healthcare literacy is an issue, sure. But this isn't about healthcare literacy. Not allowing people to use their earned honorific does nothing to address healthcare literacy.