Is it legal for a nondoctor, introduced as a doctor exaimine if reffered specialist

[liloandstich]

Is it legal for a hospital to have you examined by a fake ENT doctor/Nurse, or nonspecialist, without letting you know, and even misintroduction, when the referral and upon application contract that has been signed, was to see a specialist?

 

[Proserpina]

Is it legal for a hospital to have you examined by a fake ENT doctor/Nurse, or nonspecialist, without letting you know, and even misintroduction, when the referral and upon application contract that has been signed, was to see a specialist?

Are you asking if it's legal for a provider to have you seen by someone who does work there, and is perhaps a physician's assistant, instead of you seeing a doctor?

Or are you saying that someone told you that Mr Smith was a doctor and it turned out that Mr Smith was an intake nurse?

We're going to need more details and your location.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Even when I have been scheduled to see my doctors specifically, they sometimes use a Nurse Practitioner or a Physicians Assistant. if you made the appt. to specifically see your doctor and advised them when making the appt, you can leave without seeing the person and they will reschedule. If you accept the alternate service provider, you owe the bill.

 

[quincy]

Even when I have been scheduled to see my doctors specifically, they sometimes use a Nurse Practitioner or a Physicians Assistant. if you made the appt. to specifically see your doctor and advised them when making the appt, you can leave without seeing the person and they will reschedule. If you accept the alternate service provider, you owe the bill.

There was no mention of "billing" in the original post.

The concern appears to be about the person doing the examination.

I agree with Proserpina that we need not only more details from liloandstich but also the name of liloandstich's state of residence.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I was explaining to OP if they were not happy with who came to assist them, they could have requested the regular doctor. I doubt they are going to claim they misrepresented the credentials of who they saw.

 

[quincy]

I was explaining to OP if they were not happy with who came to assist them, they could have requested the regular doctor. I doubt they are going to claim they misrepresented the credentials of who they saw.

This thread is in the medical and health care malpractice section of the forum. More information is needed on the actual issue liloandstich had with the examination and the person or persons who examined him/her. Without this information, there is no way to determine what (if any) legal or other recourse may be available.

I did, by the way, understand what you were saying in your post. But you said, "If you accept the alternate service provider, you owe the bill." There was no mention of any billing issue (and what you wrote is not even true in all cases). In addition, if you read the original post, misrepresentation does in fact seem to be one of the claims being made.

It tends to help if you read the original post and base your answers on what is written by the poster, or you wait for the relevant clarifying questions that are asked to be answered by the poster.

 

[liloandstich]

Clarfication

I mean specifically a misrepresentation of credentials, resulting in the delay of receiving proper medical treatment and delay for getting another referral etc.

 

[Proserpina]

I mean specifically a misrepresentation of credentials, resulting in the delay of receiving proper medical treatment and delay for getting another referral etc.

Please answer are couple of yes/no questions.

1. Did Dr. Smith call himself Dr. Smith when he was really Nurse Smith?

Or

2. Did someone tell you that you'd see Dr. Smith but you ended up seeing his Nurse Jane instead?

Please help us help you

 

[quincy]

In addition to answering Proserpina's questions, please include the name of your state or, if not in the US, the name of your country.

Thank you.

As a note: A delay in receiving proper medical treatment or a delay in getting another referral are not, in and of themselves, medical or healthcare malpractice. Details of what has happened to you, and the damages you suffered as a result, are necessary if you wish for us to assist you.

 

[liloandstich]

Please answer are couple of yes/no questions.

1. Did Dr. Smith call himself Dr. Smith when he was really Nurse Smith?

Yes

 

[quincy]

Please answer are couple of yes/no questions.

1. Did Dr. Smith call himself Dr. Smith when he was really Nurse Smith?

Yes

From your thread in the Libel section of the forum (https://forum.freeadvice.com/libel-slander-defamation-88/being-insulted-wrongfully-accused-thief-front-public-auction-622928.html), you say you live in California.

Although it is definitely not okay for a nurse to call him/herself a doctor, how did this misidentification delay your treatment and referral, and what are your damages?

Do you think you might have misunderstood the introduction and the nurse was, perhaps, saying that you would be seen by Doctor Smith after the nurse did the preliminaries (temp, weight, blood pressure, etc)?

 

[ecmst12]

A nurse practitioner CAN actually call themselves Dr., because they have a doctorate in nursing. Not all of them DO, but legally they can.

 

[cbg]

This OP posted this question on another board as well. I asked a question which as yet has not been answered:

Suppose we tell you that it is not legal. I'm not saying it is or isn't right now but suppose it's not.

What is it that you want to have happen in that case?

 

[Proserpina]

A nurse practitioner CAN actually call themselves Dr., because they have a doctorate in nursing. Not all of them DO, but legally they can.

Yes! This! ^^^^

 

[quincy]

A nurse practitioner CAN actually call themselves Dr., because they have a doctorate in nursing. Not all of them DO, but legally they can.

Good point. Although it is not something I really considered here, I have run across a few people who refer to themselves as, or insist on being introduced as or referred to as, "doctor" because of their doctorate.

I think it might be confusing and perhaps deceptive or a misrepresentation to do so in a medical setting, though. It would probably require more research to determine if it crosses any legal lines.