Name Badge Requirements

ARE PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS IN ILLINOIS REQUIRED TO WEAR BADGES OR OTHERWISE DISPLAY IDENTIFICATION AND LICENSURE INFORMATION WHEN TREATING PATIENTS IN THE OFFICE? 

Yes.  Illinois law requires that health care professionals who work in patient care settings must wear name tags or badges during all patient encounters.  The tag must clearly identify the type of license held by the professional and must be of sufficient size and conspicuousness to be easily visible. 

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The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation places particular emphasis on doctors of chiropractic clearly including their license category to ensure the public is not confused about the doctor’s credentials.  For chiropractic physicians, the doctor should display his or her name followed by the initials “D.C.,” “chiropractic physician,” or “doctor of chiropractic.”  It is a violation of the Medical Practice Act to simply indicate “Dr. [name]” without including the license type.  The ICS believes that embroidered lab coats are acceptable in lieu of actual badges, as long as they meet the above requirements.  

In addition to the name tag, a health care professional seeing patients in an office must conspicuously display a “writing” that clearly identifies the type of license held by the professional.  This “writing” could be your wall license or any other written material that displays your name and the type of license you hold.

Because this law applies to all health care professionals who are subject to licensure by the State, any licensed employees, such as physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, massage therapists, or occupational therapists, must also wear name tags and display wall licenses. 

Although the law does not specifically mention unlicensed assistants, the purpose of the law is to ensure that patients are clearly informed of the qualifications of persons who provide health care services.  Therefore, the ICS strongly recommends that chiropractic assistants who are involved in patient care in a chiropractic physician office wear badges with their names followed by “Chiropractic Assistant.”