Who's My Doctor: An Organization You Should Know

Most of us agree that transparency in health care is a desirable thing, but how does one actually accomplish that? What can a health care provider do that would be meaningful and significant? A new organization, Who’s My Doctor, started in October 2013, is making it easy for providers to be transparent with their patients with specific, actionable items.

Realizing that patients have to make themselves vulnerable to get proper care, Who’s My Doctor suggests that health care providers need to make themselves equally vulnerable to forge a good doctor-patient relationship. Who’s My Doctor believes that one of the most important things a health care provider can disclose is any potential conflicts of interest. The organization specifically focuses on disclosing health care providers’ relationships with drug companies, medical device companies, other health care companies, paid & unpaid board memberships, and revenue streams.

There are two ways in which a health care provider can participate in the Who’s My Doctor’s movement:

1. You can contact them and express your interest in submitting your own Total Transparency Manifesto to their website.

Currently there are about 30 health care providers and their Total Transparency Manifestos on the site, broken down by specialty. You can view Brian Goldman, MD’s Transparency Manifesto as an example of information you may be asked to provide.

2. You can also sign Who’s My Doctor’s Total Transparency Manifesto Petition.

Are you concerned about disclosing your personal information? See the organization’s list of helpful FAQ’s to get more information and learn more about why this may be a good idea for you and or your practice.