Getting patients to sign a "no criticism online" clause?

NewsBot · Mar 18, 2009

Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
The San Francisco Chronicle are reporting:
Doctors fight back against Internet critics

Some doctors have started fighting back against ugly Internet reviews by asking patients to abide by what are effectively gag orders that bar them from posting negative comments online. Physicians are taking action as online ratings services such as Yelp and Angie's List grow in popularity and expand their reviews beyond restaurants and plumbers to include medical care, joining dedicated Web sites such as RateMDs.com.

"Consumers and patients are hungry for good information" about doctors, but Internet reviews provide just the opposite, contends Dr. Jeffrey Segal, a North Carolina neurosurgeon who has made a business of helping doctors monitor and prevent online criticism.

Some sites "are little more than tabloid journalism without much interest in constructively improving practices," and their sniping comments can unfairly ruin a doctor's reputation, Segal said.

For a fee, Segal's company, Medical Justice, provides doctors with a standardized waiver agreement. Patients who sign agree not to post online comments about the doctor, "his expertise and/or treatment."

Segal's company advises doctors to have all patients sign the agreements. If a new patient refuses, the doctor might suggest finding another doctor. Segal said he knows of no cases where longtime patients have been turned away for not signing the waivers.

Doctors are notified when a negative rating appears on a Web site, and, if the author's name is known, physicians can use the signed waivers to get the sites to remove offending opinion.....
Click to expand...

Full story

Craig Payne · Mar 18, 2009

I am sure Les Bailey wished he had done this!

Alank · Mar 19, 2009

Unfortunately, unlike an American court where one has the legal right to face their accuser, online criticism can be both scathing and anonymous.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

Craig Payne Moderator

Alank Member

Are home visits patients getting more complicated

Trouble getting patients to use custom orthotics

Are You Getting A Custom Orthotic From The Lab?

Getting back into Podiatry advice

burkini banned on beaches; world getting more ridiculous

The world's oldest human footprints are getting crime scene analysis

Biomechanics - Getting the Knowledge

Share This Page