It’s important for patients to understand the qualifications, education, and training of their health care providers. However, a recent survey conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) confirmed that while patients are in favor of a physician-led health care team, they remain confused about the levels of education and training of health care providers.
This survey was a follow-up to a similar AMA survey conducted in 2008, and further proved that patient confusion remains high.
Key findings from the 2010 survey include:
- Patients are not sure who is, and who is not, a medical doctor.
- Patients surveyed strongly prefer physicians to lead their health care team.
- 90 percent indicated that a physician’s additional years of medical education and training (compared to a nurse practitioner) are essential to optimal patient care, especially when faced with a complication or medical emergency.
- 86 percent believe that chronically ill patients benefit when a physician is the one leading the primary health care team.
- 83 percent prefer a physician to have primary responsibility for the diagnosis and management of their health care.
Patients want their health care professional to clearly designate their education and training. In fact, 87 percent of surveyed patients would support legislation requiring all health care professionals to clearly designate their education and training levels in any ads for their services.
These results verify the need for Act 110, which Pennsylvania passed last year to require all health care workers in all patient settings to wear a photo identification badge. It also requires that the titles for physician, registered nurse, and licensed practical nurse be spelled out in block print, while all other licensees can continue to use initials as specified by current Department of Health regulations.
At the federal level, the Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act of 2011 was introduced on Jan. 26, 2011, by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) and Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.). According to a recent AMA release, this proposed legislation would prohibit "misleading and deceptive advertising" by health care professionals.
If passed, it would help patients make better decisions about their health care by reducing confusion surrounding the training and education of their health care providers.