What’s in a Title?

Lately a trend has developed to group everybody involved with patient care under the title “Provider”. While this is all nice and lends a feeling of esprit de corps as well as equality, the final arbiter and decision maker is the physician. The responsibility ultimately lies with the doctor. As it should. Many years of training and learning takes place before the degree and ultimate specialty is conferred. Other degrees also take time to achieve and also deserve to be acknowledged. Every person who is involved in the medical care field should be proud of their title and use it appropriately. “Provider” is not a title. It is a description and no one should sign their name to it.