Kansas Professionals – Representing Yourself to the Public as a Specialist
There are so many specialties today in all professional areas, whether it be law, medicine, veterinary care, or cosmetology, among many others. When it comes to being considered a specialist in any particular profession, such as medicine, for example, it is crucial that anyone representing him or herself out to the public as a specialist is in fact a licensed professional with a sub-specialty. For example, if you are a general internal medical doctor and you advertise yourself as a specialist in orthopedics, this would be misleading for potential patients, and this may be grounds for the Kansas Board of Healing Arts to take disciplinary action.
Further, as new specialties are uncovered, there will be a need for such specialties to require additional training. Using the same example above, if a licensed Kansas medical doctor specializing in general internal medicine chooses to pursue orthopedics as another specialty, he or she will have to undergo the required training to be considered a specialist in orthopedics.
It is not uncommon for physicians and other professionals to make accidental representations to patients, clients, or customers that may be taken the wrong way. If a patient has gone to see her general internal doctor for knee pain, for example, the doctor can certainly evaluate the knee and make a diagnosis based on his or her own medical training and judgment. This alone is not a representation to the patient that the doctor is a specialist in treating knee injuries. However, some patients may misinterpret information they receive from their doctors, and this can be potentially dangerous for physicians.
What You Should Do to Protect Yourself
If you are a specialist in your professional field, you should make clear to your patients, clients, or customers that you are in fact a specialist, and clearly identify what that specialty is. You can verbally represent this, you can put this on your website or other advertising materials, and you can communicate this information in paperwork that you provide to patients, clients, or customers.
On the other hand, if you are not a specialist in a particular field, you must take all steps possible to ensure your patients, clients, or customers do not get the wrong idea. If someone gets the wrong idea about whether or not you are a specialist, and that person suffers some sort of physical or economic harm as a result of his or her belief that you are a specialist, this could cause unnecessary stress and an investigation by the Kansas licensing board for your profession. As industries continue to expand, new specialties may be established year after year. The Kansas licensing boards will need to keep up with the changing trends to ensure Kansas professionals are protected and complying with any new rules or regulations that may be implemented.
Contact Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation
If you are facing the potential suspension or loss of your Kansas professional license, it is important that you consider seeking the help of a qualified Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney who can provide you with the guidance you need to move forward. Regardless of why your Kansas professional license is at risk, you deserve to have a strong advocate by your side, representing your rights and interests to the fullest extent possible. As a former Assistant Attorney General of Kansas, Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office has a reputation for success, helping her clients keep their well-deserved Kansas professional licenses. If you would like to speak with Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney Danielle Sanger, contact the Sanger Law Office today by calling (785) 979-4353 to schedule your free consultation.