In the News
Physicians Are Not Providers: The Ethical Significance of Names in Health Care: A Policy Paper From the American College of Physicians
Annals of Internal Medicine: L. Snyder Sulmasy, JD; J.K. Carney, MD, MPH
ACP Urges Precision in Health Care Terms: Don't Label Physicians Providers
A new ethics paper from ACP, “Physicians Are Not Providers: The Ethical Significance of Names in Health Care,” argues that the term “provider” should not be used to describe physicians because the word demeans physicians' ethical responsibility, clinical integrity, and professionalism.
Unpacking physician attrition
I.M. Matters from ACP: G. Melillo
A study examines what could be driving physicians to leave clinical practice and which specialties are most at risk.
Immigration Enforcement Impact on Public Health
The American College of Physicians is committed to addressing racial disparities in health and health care by confronting the prejudice that drives discrimination, inequities, violence, and hate crimes. Because immigrant communities often face discrimination, harassment, and violence, ACP identifies these harms as public health issues.
Additional resource for talking to Families and Children
Spirituality and Religiosity of Internal Medicine Physicians in the USA: Results from a National Survey
Journal of General Internal Medicine: K.M. Collier, MD; M. Todd Greene, PhD, MPH; D. Ratz, MS; R. Ehrlinger, BA; S. Saint, MD, MPH
Medicine as a profession is steeped in meaning. Spiritual and religious practices are one way in which healthcare professionals make meaning in their lives and therefore in their work. Recent attention has focused on the religious and spiritual commitments of physicians as they relate to topics such as self-care, physician conscience, and how these beliefs impact clinical practice.
Back to the March 20, 2026 issue of ACP IM Thriving