Ever go to a doctor's office and not know if you were seen by a physician, a physician's assistant or a nurse practitioner? With so many different health care providers now, it can be very confusing.
The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) is supporting two pending bills that will help clear up that confusion for patients.
The legislation requires health care professionals to clearly display the type of license they hold as well as put it on their name tags and IDs. This will assist patients in determining whether someone is a medical doctor (M.D.), a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.), a Ph.D., a nurse practitioner or a different professional.
The legislation would also prohibit misleading information in ads.
With the "#MakeItClear" campaign, consumers are being encouraged to utilize the #MakeItClear hashtag to share details about incidents of confusion in their dealings with health care providers.
“MSSNY strongly supports what's being referred to as the 'Truth in Advertising' legislation, because it will provide patients with specific, significant information they need and deserve," says Andrew Kleinman, M.D., president of MSSNY.
MSSNY has 25,000 members and hopes the support of these pending bills helps to clear up the confusion for patients in what is an ever changing health care landscape.
The New York Public Interest Research Group says sanctions for misconduct should also be posted, noting that information plus doctor credentials can already be found at New York's website.
The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) is supporting two pending bills that will help clear up that confusion for patients.
The legislation requires health care professionals to clearly display the type of license they hold as well as put it on their name tags and IDs. This will assist patients in determining whether someone is a medical doctor (M.D.), a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.), a Ph.D., a nurse practitioner or a different professional.
The legislation would also prohibit misleading information in ads.
With the "#MakeItClear" campaign, consumers are being encouraged to utilize the #MakeItClear hashtag to share details about incidents of confusion in their dealings with health care providers.
“MSSNY strongly supports what's being referred to as the 'Truth in Advertising' legislation, because it will provide patients with specific, significant information they need and deserve," says Andrew Kleinman, M.D., president of MSSNY.
MSSNY has 25,000 members and hopes the support of these pending bills helps to clear up the confusion for patients in what is an ever changing health care landscape.
The New York Public Interest Research Group says sanctions for misconduct should also be posted, noting that information plus doctor credentials can already be found at New York's website.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
