Use of "Doctor" badges for physician role identification during clinical training.
Studies have shown that hospitalized patients are often unable to identify their care team members. In this pilot study, internal medicine residents were provided identification badges that clearly labeled their title as "Doctor." A subsequent survey found that role misidentification decreased markedly, particularly for female residents (who, prior to the intervention, were often mistaken for nonphysician staff); female residents also reported improvement in their perception of the work environment.