I want to throw my hat into the whole Flea thing. From the perspective of a solo practitioner in the start-up, practice building phase, who depends on positive word of mouth for his own survival, Flea's saga is a public relations disaster. First, he was sued for wrongful death and that law suit became, because of his actions and his actions alone, a very, very, very public matter. Isn't it enough to get sued and have to defend yourself in court. Do you have to announce it to the entire world and give the Boston Globe or NY Times a story? Now everyone of his patients, their families, friends, and referring docs knows that he had a wrongful death. Not the kind of thing you want to actively publicise.
Second, as Eric Turkewics pointed out, he and the defense were caught trying to manipulate the jury. Now this may happen all the time, I don't know. But from a public relations perspective, it doesn't look good for Flea. People don't like to be manipulated and you don't want patients, their families, and referring doctors to think of you as a callous manipulator. Just my opinion.
Third, his entire chronicle of his lawsuit experience was just plain reckless, stupid, and disrespectful and suggests that Flea himself possesses those qualities. He may be a nice guy. I'm sure he is. But only several hundred people, at most, know him as the nice guy-good doc, while several million now know him as the big mouth, reckless, manipulating blogger. And thanks to the Boston Globe, and KevinMD, they know his name.
Word of mouth marketing is the most powerful form of marketing, and when positive, can really help build a practice. When negative, it can kill. I bet Flea's cost him the limits of his liability policy, and probably his practice.
I wish him luck, I really do. And if you are reading this blog, Flea, give me call and I'll help you start over in your new solo practice in your new locale.
Best of luck.
The IU.
3 comments:
Wow! I didn't realize he was outed. I am sorry for everyone involved.
Thanks for putting up the links.
(still need to learn that and it is probably so easy!)
I just read through a bunch of the articles
I wonder if he will ever come back to the blogosphere in some form? The settlement must be a real hard pill to swallow. I am sorry about the boy and his family too.
One of the articles said that doctors like grunt doc could be found out. How? If they are careful to never describe their locale or to totally change it along with all obvious info? Scalpel posted about HIPPA violations a while back regarding blogging.
I would have serious medblog withdrawal if y'all pulled up stakes. :) I think the ER docs and nurses are the ones who have to be careful because they definitely have opinions that they express as they can be somewhat and understandably jaded and yet they do speak the truth. You couldn't make that stuff up. Well I guess you could but even I have heard some of that stuff working in our little community hospital, I guess because people are people where ever you go.
I don't feel sorry that doctors and other medical personnel have to be careful what stories they relate because I know that if I ever found out someone was discussing my case with people that had no business hearing that info - I would be devastated and then rip roaring angry.
Confidentiality is HUGE to me! HUGE! And I felt that way before HIPPA! I think sometimes for some things, it takes a lot of courage to have to go to a doc, become so vulnerable sharing your most private info etc. Patients need to feel they can trust their doctors and that Doc's support staff.
A doctor told me once that there are no secrets in hospitals and the walls have ears. It has been my experience that is true.
I remember sitting in the cafeteria hearing about patient cases and their families etc. from both ER and peds, surg and medical. Things that I and others should not have been privy too.
The worst tho was when I heard some private docs come into the ER and discuss or joke about PT x on Medical fl who had been admitted through the ER. I would always think - I will NEVER go to THAT doctor. I liked them as people but mental note made - I wouldn't trust them because i would be afraid that I would get discussed too.
Actually, that is why I ended up getting most things done with PMDs not affiliated with our health system. I did go to one a couple of times because I KNOW he was strict and would write any medical person up in a heartbeat if they did something wrong. He was a perfectionist with his patients.
All that said - with HIPPA things have greatly improved and staff stopped openly discussing patients and so now the mailman and housekeeping, etc. don't get the lowdown anymore.
One more thing about this. One of our older computer systems allowed easy access into patient results at one time. Someone from respiratory showed me how she could pull up MY lab results, etc. YIKES! And then I knew how to pull up other's info - which I didn't.
Anyway, now anyone is foolish to ever,ever access anyone's info unless authorized to do so because systems keeps track and there are paper trails for every activity. Everyone has their own access codes and they could see all the work generated or if you went on the internet. That is a good thing.
Sorry so long I.U. - this whole Flea thing just got me thinking.
My blog is public in that I have told people that know me. I know people go look even though they don't comment publicly.
I know of people that have put really personal things in their blogs that are hurtful to others. I think that is so wrong. I am even careful about the good things because I know that just because I think it is good my friend may not.
Respect for privacy is key.
When I do go back to work I will not ever mention my job - ever. I might tell you guys that I am working in a hospital or doctor's office or the zoo and that I love it, but no details and I will never discuss the job.
One more thing - I have always been someone who writes. I write in journals, on napkins, paper and now the blog - ever since I was little.
Years ago I told a friend how I love to write things down and she commented that she never does. She said her father told her to NEVER put things in writing because it can come back to haunt you.
As far as my blog goes - first of all it is for me but I do get a kick out of the fact that people actually read my stuff. That said I hope it is interesting, entertaining, amusing, inspirational at different times for different people. I would like to think that good comes from it. you know...put forth that ripple of good.
Ok I.U. - you have no idea how close I am to deleting all of the above. I may leave it then take it out in a.m. Hmmm... what to do? What to do?
No question that there is a certain thril to know that people are reading your stuff. Personally, I make no attempt to hide my identity and I write accordingly. For me, blogging is therapeutic, yes, but commercially important. Otherwise, I would just keep a diary.
Thanks for reading.
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