Suit Challenges Health Care Professionals Right To Block Negative Online Patient Reviews of Their Services

On November 29, 2011, a patient filed a class action lawsuit challenging health care professionals’ ability to block negative online patient satisfaction reviews. The plaintiff was required to sign a privacy agreement before the health care professional, a dentist, would provide treatment. The privacy agreement asks patients to agree not to publish or write negative reviews about their experience with the health care professional. The plaintiff signed, received care, paid the charges, and requested a copy of the records to submit for insurance reimbursement. However, the dental office refused to provide a copy of the records. The plaintiff subsequently posted . . .