Suppose you are a hospital patient and various people are checking on your condition, giving you shots, setting up medications, poking and prodding..You might know who they are but you might not know WHAT they are. The state senate could soon ease your pain.
Doctor Dan Brown of Rolla is a state senator who wants to require hospital personnel to wear badges that clearly identify them not only by name but by profession–doctor, nurse, nurse’s assistant, anesthesiologist and so forth. He says the hospital in Rolla uses color-coded uniforms but he doesn’t know the code. So he wants that information clearly printed on a badge.
The Missouri Medical Association says so many people can call themselves “doctor” these days that it’s important patients know who is a doctor..and a doctor of what, as well as who’s a nurse, and so on.
Brown’s bill is headed to the full senate for debate. He does not include other caregivers but hopes nursing homes, surgery centers, and other facilities adopt the system voluntarily.  He expects most hospitals to be in compliance within a year if his bill passes.
The bill will not apply to Doctor Brown…He’s a veterinarian…
Listen to the full committee hearing 10:20 mp3
