Another Simple Way to Lose Doctors

There is a difference between physicians and nondoctors. Interestingly, everyone wants the doctor title but all this does is confuse patients. Yes, the cover image is real. No, Taylor Swift is not a real doctor.

This is a conversation that occurred right here on LinkedIn. It was in regards to hospitals lumping nondoctors together with doctors:

Physician: Our hospital has virtually nothing exclusive to physicians. Nurses and PAs are treated as equals and receive Doctors Day gifts. We no longer have an annual physicians’ banquet. That was replaced with an annual awards banquet which includes nurse practitioners and PAs, which have an allied health award at the same time.

Me: Do you think this influences whether you or others would recommend your hospital for a colleague or friend to work at?

Physician: Yes and in the negative.

Yesterday was Doctors’ Day. This was National Physicians Week. Why would a hospital devalue physicians by not acknowledging them appropriately? They do this at their own peril and when physicians leave it is because of little things like this.

I mention all this and more in my book The Hospital Guide to Physician Retention: Why Creating A Physician-Friendly Environment Is Critical For Your Organization’s Success.