Daily Talker: Should Doctors Wear Lab Coats Again?
Doctors wearing long-sleeved shirts, ties, jewelry, and watches would be out. Those with white lab coats that are cleaned at least once a week and bare arms below the elbows would be in.
Those are some of the major changes the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America is advocating for what doctors wear in hospitals. The group's goal is to slow the spread of infection between patients.
Researchers say they haven't found a direct link between germs on the clothes health care workers wear, but say it only makes sense there would be a connection. And one recent study found that a third of doctor's neckties grew Staph infections in a lab setting.
The report also said patients are more likely to trust a doctor in a lab coat. "Overall, patients express preferences for certain types of attire, with most surveys indicating a preference for formal attire, including a preference for a white coat."
What do you think of this proposed dress code for doctors? Would you be more likely to trust a doctor who wears a lab coat? Share your comments below, then watch for them on WBZ News in the Morning between 4:30 and 7:00 am.