From the President’s Desk

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The human face of medicine

December 2022—Many of us were raised on alluring stories of the good old days in medicine, when physicians enjoyed long-term, respectful relationships with their patients. I grew up hearing from my father, an obstetrician/gynecologist, and my mother, a nurse, about their frustrating transition from this to a modern reality in which these relationships were strained by a seemingly impenetrable health care bureaucracy.

Like so many pathologists, I have felt intimidated by such behemoths as the CMS, the FDA, and insurance companies, as well as smaller monoliths like the C-suites or dean’s office at health systems and medical schools where I have practiced. But what I have realized by working with the CAP is that dealing with these entities can be more manageable when we create positive and productive relationships with the people who work in them.

That simple act of seeing the people within an institution is important in our own day-to-day experiences in medicine. I can’t tell you how much I hate being referred to as a “provider.” The word is like nails on a chalkboard to me because it underscores the ongoing commoditization of medicine. I know many of you take issue with this term as well. It contributes to this concept that seeking health care is about seeing a doctor strictly to get a medication or a test. We aren’t test dispensers. We are highly trained, highly educated individuals who pride ourselves on diving into each patient’s case and finding life-changing answers that would not be possible without our expertise. We are people who help people. Calling us “providers”—a term that is also used to refer to hospitals and clinics—is dehumanizing.

There’s a scope of practice issue here as well. In many cases, the term “providers” is used to refer to physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants. Each of these types of health care professionals has something valuable to contribute to patient care, but we are not interchangeable. Our education, training, and responsibilities are completely different. Lumping us all together as “providers” strips away the important distinctions among our roles.

Dr. Volk