I met a speech therapist that put more values on the white lab coat than my loved one and I don't think she deserved to wear it. She spoke English, but the patient spoke another language-the channel of communication wasn't there at all. When I tried to help, she said "I'm the speech therapist and showed me the white coat." I don't care about her lab coat as I have many in my closet. All I want is for my loved one to be treated fairly.

Sometimes, I feel that one day docs should take the patients' position to see what's it like so that they can provide the best care for the sick.

The white coat just doesn't mean anything and when I meet those w/lab coat that should act as health care professionals, but talk down on the sick I feel that this piece of towel should be put at the corner. Can hospitals and clinics provide that piece of object every time the health care professionals come on the job so that they can change it whenever they get dirty. One may come from home with the lab coat; therefore, may not change it when it gets dirty. However, if lab coats are provided to health care professionals on the job, that may decrease hospital acquired infection to a certain degree.

Thus, it doesn't matter who wear them as long as those who wear them won't focus more on it instead of patients' care. Imagined a day to have 24 hours and some docs work more then that w/one lab coat. At the end of the day they get socked with sweat and microbes.

Shame on that speech therapist ....

chidoc:

I was walking with a young female MD in her hospital, and a patient came up and addressed her as "Nurse" she replied "Oh please forgive me I don't work no where near hard enough to be addressed as nurse, I am Dr. Smith" It was a quick response, not the first time she had used it, allowed her to keep moving without causing any embarressing moments, and never slowed her down. Just a thought that you might want to try!

I am in agreement with chidoc--I am a female physician and find the lab coat essential for carrying all my gear around. She is also spot on about patient confusion and gender issues. Many the time I was assumed to be a nurse when I was in scrubs-the white coat eliminates that confusion.

White coats also have your name and department clearly embroidered on the pocket, so patients know exactly who they are talking to.

Finally, the hospital is a messy place, and having a coat protect your clothes is a necessity.

Female doctors need pocket to place their lipstick, rouge, mirror etc.

The AMA needs to stop telling physicians what to wear based on weak evidence. They have no right to tell us what to wear. Who do they think they are? This is a personal choice. Most importantly, there has never been a prospective study showing improved outcomes in patients when doctors didn't wear their lab coats. All of this data is subjective and observational. Of course there are opinionated leaders in the AMA who think they know how to read and understand the medical literature, and then decide to enforce their ignorance on the rest of the medical community. Wow, all I can say is that I am disappointed that we let idiots dictate policy. This is akin to a "lemming effect". Let's all jump off the cliff because some third rate journal article quotes some garbage. Whatever...Read the articles and make an informed decision. I will not yield my freedom of choice, especially since it does not alter patient outcomes. BOO AMA, bunch of idiots.

THANK YOU. This sort of "Sounds-good!" bologna is why the AMA no longer gets my $420 a year. Yes, they are lemmings. They have no earthly concept of epidemiology or what constitutes meaningful science. Nor do they care, because they're too busy protecting the deep pockets of the healthcare insurance biz & their GOP shills instead of actually FIXING the healthcare disaster they helped happen.