Practice management: The road ahead

Internet Liability for Gastroenterologists: Select Issues From Social Networking to Doctor Rating Sites

Information About Physicians Available Online

When a patient performs a simple Internet search of a physician's name, the results may include personal and professional contact information; publicly available social media accounts; disciplinary data, if any, reported on a state government Web site; articles written by the physician; and reviews of the physician by patients, insurance companies, and/or the physician's staff. These results are part of the physician's digital footprint. Information contained in the digital footprint will

Text Messaging

A text message is an electronic message, generally up to 160 characters in length, sent between 2 mobile phones. Patients are generally receptive to the idea of texting with their physicians. Patients who use phones paid for by their employers, especially senior management and board members, may be concerned about their employer having access to sensitive health care information. Some physicians believe texting is an ideal form of communication because it permits both patients as well as

Protecting a Physician's Reputation

Physicians should safeguard their professional reputation online because it may impact relationships with patients, staff, and fellow physicians as well as affect physicians' future opportunities and the public's trust in the medical community. Bad reviews, even if completely false, can be detrimental to a physician's reputation. This is especially true if the negative review is the first one listed after an Internet search of the physician's name. Nonetheless, a physician still has substantial

Best Practices When a Patient Posts a Negative Comment Online

When a patient posts a negative comment online, physicians should never respond publicly. A physician could breach his or her HIPAA obligations and perhaps other legal duties by publicly refuting a negative review online.

A physician should also reflect before immediately suing a patient for his or her negative online comments. A lawsuit for defamation of character is often costly and difficult to win. A physician is also unlikely to win a suit against a Web site for defamation because these

Summary and Conclusion

Physicians should actively monitor their personal or professional information that patients can access online because this information can affect patients' opinions. The Internet can be used as a tool to inform patients and the community about a physician's qualifications, certification, and background as well as reviews by current patients. Negative reviews can quickly surface and injure a physician's reputation. Thus, physicians should remain vigilant in monitoring all aspects of their online