Healthcare Hullabaloo: Who’s the Boss

Was it Tony or Angela? That was the ongoing question in the long running sitcom. Personally, I never really gave a damn. It was never one of my favorite TV shows. I always preferred Tony Danza’s character in Taxi – now that was a sitcom!

OK, so if we don’t really care “Who’s the Boss?”, let us ask instead, “Who’s the Doctor?”

I spoke before on how PhD’s in medicine are the only people who are routinely given the social title of ‘Doctor”. Right or wrong, it is the social norm. But now we are being faced with a new dilemma.

There are people who are getting PhD’s in medical fields who are not normally addressed as ‘Doctor’, and they’re out to change the social norm.

A person who has their PhD in Nursing or Physical Therapy are by definition Doctors – but in the past they would never dream of being referred to as such. This is no longer the case. Many such health care providers are asking to be referred to as ‘Doctor’ – which in a professional environment will surely lead to vast confusion.

Traditionally, in health care, Only persons with degrees of “MD”, “DO”, “DC”, “OD” and “DPM” were addressed as ‘Doctor’, as were those who had their PhD in Psychology. Now, if this trend continues, we may be looking at nurses and physical therapists claiming this coveted title.

This trend, if it is allowed to get traction, will surely lead to great confusion amongst health care consumers.

I am sure that it is already being exploited by the health insurance industry.

Right now, some poor sod is surely getting a call from their health insurance carrier saying something like “I’m sorry Mr. Jones, but our Medical Director, Dr. Smith, has reviewed your file and determined that surgery to remove your brain tumor is not medically necessary”. Too bad no one bothers to explain to Mr. Jones that “Dr. Smith” is a retired pediatric nurse with flat feet and a PhD in nursing.

So don’t be surprised when your prescription carrier won’t pay for your ED meds because Gene Simmons says that “Real Men don’t need Viagra”.

After all, Gene has long ago claimed the title of “Dr. Love”.

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