Slashdot Mirror
Doctors Sue Patients for Online Complaints
Carl Bialik writes "'Several Web sites have sprung up that encourage patients to post anonymous reviews of doctors and dentists. Some frustrated patients have even created entire Web sites to criticize specific physicians. The Wall Street Journal Online is reporting that some doctors are, in turn, defending their reputation by suing the online critics."
Here is an example of a statement which is not factual because a fact is, by definition, true.
-- Thou hast strayed far from the path of the Avatar.
Congratulations, asshole: now everyone after you has to wait even longer.
My wife schedules each patient a reasonable amount of time for the problem that they're calling to see her about. On occasion, some of those problems turn out to be more complex and urgent than they expressed over the phone. Given that her alternatives are:
- Spend the extra required time to treat that patient, or
- Tell them, "sorry, your allotted time is up. Please see the receptionist about scheduling more next month."
Which would you pick, and why? Would you give the same answer if your problem was the one that's taking longer than expected?Believe it or not, the vast majority of doctors would really like to stay on schedule. Given that the nature of their job is troubleshooting systems owned by users who aren't experts at explaining their problems (which anyone reading Slashdot should understand), that just isn't always possible.
In short, don't be a dick and make matters worse. A lot of the doctors I hang around with have an "n strikes" rule: screw them over n times without a legitimate excuse, and suddenly expect to find that all your appointments are at 6:30am or 7:00pm, whichever is least convenient for you. Is that really a battle you want to fight, particularly since if you weren't already sick you wouldn't be seeing them in the first place?
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
The domain name is usually considered protected speech so long as the content is not actionable (slander/libel, (C) infringement, TM infringement, etc.)
p age=E1_First_Takedown.html and you can read all the claims that the lawyers used to attempt to force the site down. All the counterclaims are in red, and while IANAL, I did have one read my response and he did greenlight it as accurate.
For example: http://farmersreallysucks.com/ is a website about my experience with Farmers Insurance. All I say is either factual, or commentary. In the case of factual information, it is not actionable, in the case of commentary, that too is protected speech, even if inflammitory, so long as it is not represented as fact.
I can say: I think/believe/feel/am of the opinion/[any other qualifier] that Farmers is a bunch of scum sucking aholes, the bottom of the insurance barrel. I would believe it if you told me they ate their children and sacrificed policy holders in satanic rituals.
What I can not do is: Farmers, an insurance company, is comprised of asshats that eat children.
The former was a statement of opinion, the latter of fact (and not accurate, making it libel).
Take a moment and visit the takedown notice: http://farmersreallysucks.com/cgi-bin/QAD_CMS.pl?
Cheers,
-nB
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In some states (USA) there are anti-SLAPP statutes that permit a defendant to dismiss quickly and receive attorney fees and costs.
The anti-SLAPP motion (generally) requires the case be brought as a result of a right to petition (ie. complaint to a court or government) or an issue of public concern and that there is not a great likelyhood of success. For more information go to www.casp.net or http://www.barbieslapp.com./
SLAPP stands for Strategic lawsuit against public participation.
Fight Spammers!
The best way to find a good physician is to ask a nurse for a referral. Nurses in hospitals work with many physicians, and have definite opinions about them. And they share those opinions with fellow nurses. This method has never failed to help me find a good, intelligent, caring physician, whether a specialist or general practitioner.
If God had meant for man to see the sunrise, He would have scheduled it later in the day.
I believe the poster is refering to the following: http://www.yale.edu/ypq/articles/oct97/oct97c.html