A small but committed pack of New York lawmakers has proposed a bill that would bar doctors and other hospital staffers from wearing neckties at the office. Are the lawmakers jealous of the uniform? Perhaps. But, according to State Senator Diane Savino, the law will help save lives. “Adopting a hygienic dress code for medical professionals means less infections, less lawsuits, and lower medical malpractice premiums,” Savino explained.
Dr. Theo Strange of Staten Island University Hospital disagrees, noting that there’s “no evidence to prove that ties cause infections.” More important, he loves that uniform and, after four years of medical school, nobody’s going to take it from him. “Appearance is important,” he said. “Patients don’t want their doctors dressed too casually. For men, that means a necktie, which is tucked into a lab coat, which is buttoned.” But Dr. Strange may actually lose this battle: The idea has already caught on in the U.K., where hospitals are now mulling casual Fridays.
Doctors and hospital workers may be banned from wearing neckties under New York state law [SI Live via Gothamist]
