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Medical gag orders still in the news

Posted: 2/18/2010 1:46:13 PM By Angie | 9 comments

I've blogged about this before, but I said I wouldn't give up until we end this trend of doctors that want to keep their patients from posting reviews about their health care experiences online. Doctors who ask patients to sign these medical gag orders are making consumers choose between free speech and health care, and it’s just plain wrong.

Consumers have been sharing doctor reviews since the beginning of time. The comments have just moved online, and consumers have told us over and over that this form of feedback is helpful when making health care decisions for themselves and their family.

I talked about the gag orders with Gretchen Carlson at FOX & Friends this morning. Watch the clip and let me know what you think about this issue...

Comments

	Bonnie B Matheson
	I cannot imagine signing my right to speak out about a doctor who cared for me. I am a talker. I love to tell about a good doctor so that women will have a chance to find out ahead of time. And if I feel that doctor is disinterested, angry, or just plain wrong, then I want to tell others about him or her. Many doctors are rigid in their thinking and do not allow patients time or space to question their treatment. Many are so completely "Western Medicine" oriented that they discount alternative measures that could be very helpful and often cheaper for the patient. In Maternity care it is vital that women have the knowledge ahead of time about what their doctor believes. Why should either the woman or the doctor waste time when they believe different things about childbirth. A large number of doctors feel that childbirth is akin to an illness. It is not an illness. It is a natural process the women can do without any harm to themselves or their babies. But first they must TRUST BIRTH.
	2/25/2010 3:13:38 PM
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	Jim Bell
	A Doctor that asks you to sign such a thing should immediately raise a red flag that you are in the presence of a Quack that knows that he will get negative comments. Time to get up and walk out of his office before he can get near you with sharp knives.
	2/23/2010 7:26:28 PM
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	cindy
	I had an awful experience with an eye doctor in Longmont, CO. I had to sit through several attempts by his assistant to take a scan of my eyes, she couldn't get it right and showned a bright light into my eyes over and over. She told me I wouldn't have to have drops if I did this, so I stuck it out, then the doctor told me my insurance wouldn't cover the test so it was going to cost me $40something AFTER it was already done, unless I got the drops too, so I had them as well, totally useless proceedure, not upfront about the costs. Then he gave me contacts to try and charge me for the fitting, then when came back and said I didn't like them he wanted to charge me for the re-fitting. NEVER in my life has an eye doctor done that before. I took my glasses prescription and left. This guy needs to be checked out to make sure he isn't milking everybody for extra fees. Go ahead and try to get me to sign a gag order on any doctor!
	2/23/2010 2:32:32 PM
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	Jacoma Corporale
	Credible doctors would welcome negative & positive feedback from patients; this is what keeps them in business. I believe it is suspect when a doctor objects to any type of criticism because this tells me that they have total disregard for their patients & just want their money. The best way to handle these high & mighty doctors is to sever ties with them & spread the word. We need to weed out these bad doctors. In other words, it may appear that they have power over us, but, in reality, we, {the patients} have power over them, because we don't need to impress them, but then need to impress us.
	2/23/2010 11:00:39 AM
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	Danny Long
	See url above for our experience with health care that left my wife crippled for life. Since the moment my wife came out of anesthesia from elective surgery, "a quad" we have only been permitted to talk to the hospital lawyers, even 570 days latter.
	2/23/2010 10:01:37 AM
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	Elise Hafford
	I had mammograms that were incorrectly read. Catch Cancer early I didn't. Get a Second opinion.
	2/22/2010 12:34:30 PM
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	Ken
	I agree with Angie.
	2/22/2010 11:43:03 AM
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	Phillip Accardo
	It is free choice for either the Dr or the patient. Certainly the Dr has the right to treat who he wants, or not treat (excepting an emergency), and the patient has the right to go to that Dr or Not.
	2/22/2010 11:18:24 AM
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	doreen milner
	I would look for another doctor before signing a form promising not to participate in any online evaluation.
	2/22/2010 10:48:39 AM
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