In California, many non-physician practitioners (NPPs) serve patients using titles that can be confusing, including “Natropathic Pediatrician,” “Nurse Cardiologist” or “Nurse Anesthesiologist.” Many such titles can lead patients to think they’re being treated by a physician. A study was recently conducted in the state to examine the potential for patient confusion regarding medical-sounding titles.
Nearly all respondents (91%) indicated that it’s critical to understand the titles of their clinicians to inform their consent to receive care.
Yet there was also pervasive confusion and misidentification of NPPs: 91% of respondents were unable to correctly identify a physician from a non-physician based on abbreviated credentials (MD, DO, CRNA, DNP, FNP-C, NP, PA).
Even when using titles or role descriptors, correct identification was low and easily shifted. For example, correctly identifying non-physicians decreased from 29% to 19% by changing the title of “Physician Assistant” to “Physician Associate” and 33% to 19% by changing “Nurse Practitioner” to “Doctor of Nursing Practice.”
Respondents also indicated a high preference for being treated by physicians instead of non-physicians: 62% preferred being treated by a physician, compared with 10% who preferred a nurse practitioner. Seven out of ten participants preferred a physician to administer their anesthesia compared to only 7% for a “nurse anesthesiologist.”
Ninety-one percent of the respondents supported updating California’s regulations to mandate accuracy and transparency in health care titles.
Read the fascinating results of this research on Dermatologic Surgery website >
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