GMA Reviews Personnel Name Tag For Patient Safety
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has instituted a tag review for their members as a means of safeguarding the safety of patients and guaranteeing quality healthcare services for patients in hospitals across the country.
This will affect medical doctors, dentists and dental surgeons in the country effective January 1, 2024.
Under the review which was admitted during the 65th Annual General Meeting of the Association in Takoradi in November 2023, there will be a change in name tags, practitioner stamps and other relevant materials.
As part of the new designations, tags will display the type of doctor a medical practitioner working in a hospital is, either a medical doctor or a dentist. For instance: Dr (Med) for Medical Doctors or Dr (Dent) for Dentists/Dental Surgeons.
“Medical Doctors and Dentists with additional academic titles will prefix these titles with their academic titles as appropriate. For example, Medical Doctors or Dentists with a professorial rank appointment and/or a PhD qualification may be designated Prof. Dr. (Med). Prof. Dr. Dr. (Med). Dr. Dr. (Med), Prof. Dr. (Dent), Prof. Dr. Dr. (Dent) or Dr. Dr. (Dent) as may apply,” a press statement by the President of Medical Doctors, Dr Frank Serebour and President of Dentists, Dr Richard Selormey said.
The Association further encouraged their members to wear their name tags during working hours as well as show their designations when asked by patients or the public.
The measure comes after some hospitals in the country recorded cases of impersonation.
During one instance in September 2023, a fake doctor lingering within the precincts of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region was arrested after his cover got blown during one of his escapades.
Dressed in scrub with the name tag William Cyril and a stethoscope around his neck, the suspect was found in the hospital by the Director of Nursing during a routine inspection.
After enquiries, he was busted and arrested.
