Health care credentials

AN ACT Relating to ensuring transparency in credentials and 1
communications between patients and health care professionals; 2
amending RCW 18.130.180, 18.57.031, and 18.71.021; adding new 3
sections to chapter 18.130 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.41 4
RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.20 RCW; adding a new section 5
to chapter 18.51 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.128 RCW; 6
adding a new section to chapter 70.230 RCW; and creating a new 7
section. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:9
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:10
(a) The terms and titles used by health care professionals in 11
clinical settings play a critical role in ensuring transparency and 12
trust between patients and their health care professionals. 13
Misunderstandings about health care professionals' credentials can 14
lead to patient confusion, erode trust, and impact the quality of 15
care; 16
(b) All members of the health care team play an important role in 17
patient care, however, the use of the title "doctor" in clinical 18
settings and public communications, without clear clarification, may 19
inadvertently lead patients to believe that these health care 20
S-3937.1
SENATE BILL 6166
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Muzzall and Chapman
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professionals have attained a doctor of medicine or doctor of 1
osteopathic medicine degree; 2
(c) Many patients may not fully understand the distinctions 3
between different health care credentials. Studies have shown that 4
promoting clarity in the titles of health care professionals improves 5
patient satisfaction and ensures that individuals are better informed 6
about the qualifications of the professionals treating them and the 7
level of care that can be appropriately provided; 8
(d) Protecting patients from potential misrepresentation is 9
critical to maintaining the integrity of the health care system. 10
Transparency in health care professional titles and communications 11
allows patients to make informed decisions and understand the roles 12
of each member of their care team; and 13
(e) Care delivery has evolved to be more team-based with a focus 14
on patient centered care. Patients need to understand the credentials 15
and qualifications of the health care professionals on their care 16
team. 17
(2) The legislature intends to preserve trust, ensure 18
transparency, and protect patients from unnecessary confusion about 19
the qualifications of their health care professionals.20
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 18.130 21
RCW to read as follows: 22
(1)(a) License holders who provide health care services except 23
custodial services, must affirmatively communicate and display the 24
license holder's credentials during all patient encounters by wearing 25
an identification badge that is visible and includes the health care 26
provider's name and health care credential, including the initials 27
and title of any health care-related degree that the license holder 28
may have obtained. 29
(b) License holders working in nonpatient care settings and who 30
do not have any direct patient care interactions are not subject to 31
the identification badge requirements in (a) of this subsection.32
(2) Any advertisement for health care services that names a 33
license holder must identify the type of health care credential held 34
by that license holder, including the initials and title of any 35
health care-related degree that the license holder may have obtained.36
(3) For the purposes of this section: 37
(a) "Advertisement" means any communication or statement, whether 38
printed, electronic, or oral, that names the license holder in 39
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relation to their practice, profession, or institution in which the 1
individual is employed, volunteers, or otherwise provides health care 2
services. The term includes business cards, letterhead, patient 3
brochures, email, internet content, audio and video content, and any 4
other communication or statement used in the course of business.5
(b) "Health care service" has the same meaning as in RCW 6
48.43.005. 7
Sec. 3. RCW 18.130.180 and 2025 c 389 s 4 are each amended to 8
read as follows: 9
Except as provided in RCW 18.130.450, the following conduct, 10
acts, or conditions constitute unprofessional conduct for any license 11
holder under the jurisdiction of this chapter: 12
(1) The commission of any act involving moral turpitude, 13
dishonesty, or corruption relating to the practice of the person's 14
profession, whether the act constitutes a crime or not. If the act 15
constitutes a crime, conviction in a criminal proceeding is not a 16
condition precedent to disciplinary action. Upon such a conviction, 17
however, the judgment and sentence is conclusive evidence at the 18
ensuing disciplinary hearing of the guilt of the license holder of 19
the crime described in the indictment or information, and of the 20
person's violation of the statute on which it is based. For the 21
purposes of this section, conviction includes all instances in which 22
a plea of guilty or nolo contendere is the basis for the conviction 23
and all proceedings in which the sentence has been deferred or 24
suspended. Nothing in this section abrogates rights guaranteed under 25
chapter 9.96A RCW; 26
(2) Misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact in 27
obtaining a license or in reinstatement thereof; 28
(3) All advertising which is false, fraudulent, or misleading;29
(4) Incompetence, negligence, or malpractice which results in 30
injury to a patient or which creates an unreasonable risk that a 31
patient may be harmed. The use of a nontraditional treatment by 32
itself shall not constitute unprofessional conduct, provided that it 33
does not result in injury to a patient or create an unreasonable risk 34
that a patient may be harmed; 35
(5) Suspension, revocation, or restriction of the individual's 36
license to practice any health care profession by competent authority 37
in any state, federal, or foreign jurisdiction, a certified copy of 38
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the order, stipulation, or agreement being conclusive evidence of the 1
revocation, suspension, or restriction; 2
(6) The possession, use, prescription for use, or distribution of 3
controlled substances or legend drugs in any way other than for 4
legitimate or therapeutic purposes, diversion of controlled 5
substances or legend drugs, the violation of any drug law, or 6
prescribing controlled substances for oneself; 7
(7) Violation of any state or federal statute or administrative 8
rule regulating the profession in question, including any statute or 9
rule defining or establishing standards of patient care or 10
professional conduct or practice; 11
(8) Failure to cooperate with the disciplining authority by:12
(a) Not furnishing any papers, documents, records, or other 13
items; 14
(b) Not furnishing in writing a full and complete explanation 15
covering the matter contained in the complaint filed with the 16
disciplining authority; 17
(c) Not responding to subpoenas issued by the disciplining 18
authority, whether or not the recipient of the subpoena is the 19
accused in the proceeding; or 20
(d) Not providing reasonable and timely access for authorized 21
representatives of the disciplining authority seeking to perform 22
practice reviews at facilities utilized by the license holder;23
(9) Failure to comply with an order issued by the disciplining 24
authority or a stipulation for informal disposition entered into with 25
the disciplining authority; 26
(10) Aiding or abetting an unlicensed person to practice when a 27
license is required; 28
(11) Violations of rules established by any health agency;29
(12) Practice beyond the scope of practice as defined by law or 30
rule; 31
(13) Misrepresentation or fraud in any aspect of the conduct of 32
the business or profession; 33
(14) Failure to adequately supervise auxiliary staff to the 34
extent that the consumer's health or safety is at risk;35
(15) Engaging in a profession involving contact with the public 36
while suffering from a contagious or infectious disease involving 37
serious risk to public health; 38
(16) Promotion for personal gain of any unnecessary or 39
inefficacious drug, device, treatment, procedure, or service;40
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(17) Conviction of any gross misdemeanor or felony relating to 1
the practice of the person's profession. For the purposes of this 2
subsection, conviction includes all instances in which a plea of 3
guilty or nolo contendere is the basis for conviction and all 4
proceedings in which the sentence has been deferred or suspended. 5
Nothing in this section abrogates rights guaranteed under chapter 6
9.96A RCW; 7
(18) The offering, undertaking, or agreeing to cure or treat 8
disease by a secret method, procedure, treatment, or medicine, or the 9
treating, operating, or prescribing for any health condition by a 10
method, means, or procedure which the licensee refuses to divulge 11
upon demand of the disciplining authority; 12
(19) The willful betrayal of a practitioner-patient privilege as 13
recognized by law; 14
(20) Violation of chapter 19.68 RCW or a pattern of violations of 15
RCW 41.05.700(8), 48.43.735(8), 48.49.020, 48.49.030, 71.24.335(8), 16
or 74.09.325(8); 17
(21) Interference with an investigation or disciplinary 18
proceeding by willful misrepresentation of facts before the 19
disciplining authority or its authorized representative, or by the 20
use of threats or harassment against any patient or witness to 21
prevent them from providing evidence in a disciplinary proceeding or 22
any other legal action, or by the use of financial inducements to any 23
patient or witness to prevent or attempt to prevent him or her from 24
providing evidence in a disciplinary proceeding; 25
(22) Current misuse of: 26
(a) Alcohol; 27
(b) Controlled substances; or 28
(c) Legend drugs; 29
(23) Abuse of a client or patient or sexual contact with a client 30
or patient; 31
(24) Acceptance of more than a nominal gratuity, hospitality, or 32
subsidy offered by a representative or vendor of medical or health-33
related products or services intended for patients, in contemplation 34
of a sale or for use in research publishable in professional 35
journals, where a conflict of interest is presented, as defined by 36
rules of the disciplining authority, in consultation with the 37
department, based on recognized professional ethical standards;38
(25) Violation of RCW 18.130.420; 39
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(26) Performing conversion therapy on a patient under age 1
eighteen; 2
(27) Violation of RCW 18.130.430; 3
(28) Violation of RCW 18.130.460; 4
(29) Violation of RCW 48.43.732; ((or))5
(30) Implanting the license holder's own gametes or reproductive 6
material into a patient; or7
(31) Violation of section 2 of this act. 8
Sec. 4. RCW 18.57.031 and 1987 c 150 s 42 are each amended to 9
read as follows: 10
(1) No person may practice or represent himself or herself as an 11
osteopathic physician and surgeon without first having a valid 12
license to do so. 13
(2) A person may only represent himself or herself as an 14
osteopathic physician surgeon if the person:15
(a) Is licensed under this chapter;16
(b) Has completed a surgical residency or fellowship approved by 17
the accreditation council for graduate medical education or the royal 18
college of physicians and surgeons of Canada;19
(c) Is certified, recertified, or eligible for examination by a 20
surgical board of the American board of medical specialties or the 21
royal college of physicians and surgeons of Canada; and22
(d) Maintains continuing education and proficiency in their 23
specialty.24
(3) A violation of this section may be considered practice by an 25
unlicensed person under RCW 18.130.190.26
Sec. 5. RCW 18.71.021 and 1987 c 150 s 46 are each amended to 27
read as follows: 28
(1) No person may practice or represent himself or herself as 29
practicing medicine without first having a valid license to do so.30
(2) A person may only represent himself or herself as a physician 31
surgeon if the person:32
(a) Is licensed under this chapter;33
(b) Has completed a surgical residency or fellowship approved by 34
the accreditation council for graduate medical education or the royal 35
college of physicians and surgeons of Canada;36
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(c) Is certified, recertified, or eligible for examination by a 1
surgical board of the American board of medical specialties or the 2
royal college of physicians and surgeons of Canada; and3
(d) Maintains continuing education and proficiency in their 4
specialty.5
(3) A violation of this section may be considered practice by an 6
unlicensed person under RCW 18.130.190.7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 70.41 8
RCW to read as follows: 9
Each hospital must issue updated identification badges as 10
necessary to meet the requirements of section 2 of this act at the 11
earlier of: 12
(1) The time that a new employee who is subject to section 13
2(1)(a) of this act is hired to provide health care services;14
(2) The time an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) of 15
this act requires a new photograph for an identification badge;16
(3) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 17
of this act requires a new identification badge because the 18
employee's name has changed; 19
(4) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 20
of this act receives a new health care credential or health care-21
related degree; 22
(5) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 23
of this act begins a new credentialing period; or 24
(6) January 1, 2030. 25
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 18.20 26
RCW to read as follows: 27
Each assisted living facility must issue updated identification 28
badges as necessary to meet the requirements of section 2 of this act 29
at the earlier of: 30
(1) The time that a new employee who is subject to section 31
2(1)(a) of this act is hired to provide health care services;32
(2) The time an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) of 33
this act requires a new photograph for an identification badge;34
(3) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 35
of this act requires a new identification badge because the 36
employee's name has changed; 37
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(4) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 1
of this act receives a new health care credential or health care-2
related degree; 3
(5) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 4
of this act begins a new credentialing period; or 5
(6) January 1, 2030. 6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 18.51 7
RCW to read as follows: 8
Each nursing home must issue updated identification badges as 9
necessary to meet the requirements of section 2 of this act at the 10
earlier of: 11
(1) The time that a new employee who is subject to section 12
2(1)(a) of this act is hired to provide health care services;13
(2) The time an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) of 14
this act requires a new photograph for an identification badge;15
(3) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 16
of this act requires a new identification badge because the 17
employee's name has changed; 18
(4) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 19
of this act receives a new health care credential or health care-20
related degree; 21
(5) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 22
of this act begins a new credentialing period; or 23
(6) January 1, 2030. 24
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 70.128 25
RCW to read as follows: 26
Each adult family home must issue updated identification badges 27
as necessary to meet the requirements of section 2 of this act at the 28
earlier of: 29
(1) The time that a new employee who is subject to section 30
2(1)(a) of this act is hired to provide health care services;31
(2) The time an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) of 32
this act requires a new photograph for an identification badge;33
(3) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 34
of this act requires a new identification badge because the 35
employee's name has changed; 36
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(4) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 1
of this act receives a new health care credential or health care-2
related degree; 3
(5) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 4
of this act begins a new credentialing period; or 5
(6) January 1, 2030. 6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. A new section is added to chapter 70.230 7
RCW to read as follows: 8
Each ambulatory surgical facility must issue updated 9
identification badges as necessary to meet the requirements of 10
section 2 of this act at the earlier of: 11
(1) The time that a new employee who is subject to section 12
2(1)(a) of this act is hired to provide health care services;13
(2) The time an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) of 14
this act requires a new photograph for an identification badge;15
(3) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 16
of this act requires a new identification badge because the 17
employee's name has changed; 18
(4) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 19
of this act receives a new health care credential or health care-20
related degree; 21
(5) The time that an employee who is subject to section 2 (1)(a) 22
of this act begins a new credentialing period; or 23
(6) January 1, 2030. 24
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. A new section is added to chapter 18.130 25
RCW to read as follows: 26
No health profession board or commission may deviate from the 27
requirements of this act. 28
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