Physician wins defamation lawsuit
The recent article reads “A California appellate court dismissed a defamation lawsuit”. In California, the hospital affiliated group had the lawsuit dismissed and they were ordered to pay the physician for legal and other fees in an amount in excess of $100,000.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/news.cms?newsId=5275&potId=MN
The physician had questioned the financial solvency of the institution in an email and was later sued for slander. It was a big win for the physician and a big win for free-speech.
Physicians and others should be free to comment and point out inconsistencies and other issues that could directly harm or impair the ability to deliver quality medical care to our patients. We should be able to question the legitimacy of decisions related to our hospital. As physicians, we have a perspective that most others will never understand or appreciate and therefore a responsibility to help direct decisions in ways we believe to be most beneficial. When these challenge current ideas and thinking, they need to be openly discussed and people need to be held accountable for their decisions and actions.
Here locally, we have a county-owned hospital and there is very little information that the public is privy to. Physicians and employees have few venues to discuss issues of importance. Until about 4 years ago, even the County Commissioners received very little communication about the hospital, its finances, or other issues because of the control the administration maintained.
Many people have been enlightened with the ongoing discussions but there continues to be behind-the-scenes comments about how much information is being shared and whether I have overstepped the current boundaries. I think the controversy itself shows the degree of distrust that so many people have regarding this administration and the degree some are going to try and silence the detractors.
I have always believed that if you provide individuals with enough legitimate and accurate information, they will make the right decisions. It is the continued biased and selective information provided that has caused so many poor decisions to be made in the hospital’s past and this needs to cease. Board Members, Commissioners, and the public need to be better informed and have all the information presented. This hospital is owned by the taxpayers and therefore should be responsive and open to them.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/news.cms?newsId=5275&potId=MN
The physician had questioned the financial solvency of the institution in an email and was later sued for slander. It was a big win for the physician and a big win for free-speech.
Physicians and others should be free to comment and point out inconsistencies and other issues that could directly harm or impair the ability to deliver quality medical care to our patients. We should be able to question the legitimacy of decisions related to our hospital. As physicians, we have a perspective that most others will never understand or appreciate and therefore a responsibility to help direct decisions in ways we believe to be most beneficial. When these challenge current ideas and thinking, they need to be openly discussed and people need to be held accountable for their decisions and actions.
Here locally, we have a county-owned hospital and there is very little information that the public is privy to. Physicians and employees have few venues to discuss issues of importance. Until about 4 years ago, even the County Commissioners received very little communication about the hospital, its finances, or other issues because of the control the administration maintained.
Many people have been enlightened with the ongoing discussions but there continues to be behind-the-scenes comments about how much information is being shared and whether I have overstepped the current boundaries. I think the controversy itself shows the degree of distrust that so many people have regarding this administration and the degree some are going to try and silence the detractors.
I have always believed that if you provide individuals with enough legitimate and accurate information, they will make the right decisions. It is the continued biased and selective information provided that has caused so many poor decisions to be made in the hospital’s past and this needs to cease. Board Members, Commissioners, and the public need to be better informed and have all the information presented. This hospital is owned by the taxpayers and therefore should be responsive and open to them.
posted by Anonymous at 6:30 PM
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