By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    November 15, 2022
    back pain issues
    Ways to Treat Constant Back Pain
    August 21, 2023
    Latest News
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    More On Wellness Programs To Improve Health and Reduce Costs
    January 25, 2012
    Privatizing Social Security and Medicare: Who Can Defuse Political Dynamite?
    June 12, 2011
    Study: Risk of Death in Elderly Patients with Dementia Doubled with Some Antipsychotic Medications
    February 26, 2012
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Healthcare Providers Stifle Online Free Speech
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Ethics > Healthcare Providers Stifle Online Free Speech
Medical EthicsSocial Media

Healthcare Providers Stifle Online Free Speech

thielst
thielst
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

As I’ve mentioned before in posts, my background includes service as a hospital risk manager.  So, I’m an advocate of techniques to minimize risk.  However, I’ve learned of one that really goes a bit too far and actually takes us a few steps back away from the goal of transparency in healthcare.  It also makes me wonder, where is the concern for the patient’s experience?

As I’ve mentioned before in posts, my background includes service as a hospital risk manager.  So, I’m an advocate of techniques to minimize risk.  However, I’ve learned of one that really goes a bit too far and actually takes us a few steps back away from the goal of transparency in healthcare.  It also makes me wonder, where is the concern for the patient’s experience?

It stems from a case where a dentist had her patient sign a “Mutual Agreement To Maintain Privacy”, which asks patients to agree not to publish or write anything disparaging about their experience with the health care provider.  One of her patients paid cash for his care, but wasn’t able to get the documents needed to file a claim with his insurance company.  So he posted negative reviews of the dentist’s office on the consumer websites Yelp and DoctorBase. This lead to a tug-of-war and the patient finally filing a lawsuit.

The agreement does seem to be a mechanism for stifling negative online reviews by a provider’s patients. The lawsuit challenges the health care provider’s ability to stifle free speech.

More Read

eHealth social media
“Social Media Residency”: Essential for Tomorrow’s Physicians
Handling HIPAA Rules In Sports: Why Athlete Privacy Matters
Surrogacy in the News: Extreme Story Not Reflective of Ethical Practices
4 Biggest Reasons to Rethink Everything About Healthcare Marketing
How to Make SEO Work for Your Dental Practice

My take on this situation is that there seems to have been poor communication from the beginning and lack of concern for the patient experience.  What is the definition of “anything disparaging”.  Is it the patient sharing his story of how difficult it has been to get the necessary documentation to submit to the insurance company?  

My recommendation, as always, is that providers will be better served if they communicate effectively with their patients, provide appropriate service and develop a trusting relationship with their patients. The provider in this case (from the information available in the article) doesn’t trust her patients and may not deserve that trust if her office procedures aren’t set up to fulfill her obligations to the patient. 

This is an important case for social media and networking sites.  We will have to monitor and see how this resolves.  For more detail on the story, read the iHealthBeat article.

TAGGED:negative feedback on your hospital social media
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025
a woman giving a key
How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
Health
July 16, 2025
a woman with kinesio tapes on her back arm
How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

Changing Behavior to Conquer Obesity

September 23, 2012
medical negligence lawyers are important in the uk
Medical EthicsPolicy & Law

Common Reasons People Need Medical Negligence Professionals

August 21, 2022
online communities and disclosure
BusinesseHealthPolicy & LawPublic HealthSocial Media

Articles about Disclosure in Online Communities

October 20, 2014
Social Media

Facebook or Blog …. Healthcare and Social Media

April 2, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?