What To Do When a Blogging Doctor Goes Off-Message

April 13, 2017

Physician-contributed writing provides a great way to provide thought leadership and to share your medical staff members’ expertise more broadly. It can also help to personalize your organization and make a deeper connection with patients.

But it’s essential that any staff-contributed writing goes through a defined editorial process that ensures the content accurately represents your system’s views and what it stands for, points out James Gabriel Brown, principal/chief creative officer of Columbus, Ohio-based advertising firm LaineGabriel.

While many health systems have become the leading sources for quality information, it’s important that any information they provide is based on the latest respected medical research. Further, there’s always the danger that a system can step into a gray area when their medical staff members move beyond facts to offer their opinion, especially when that view may not represent the organization’s value system.

The importance of health systems differentiating between fact and opinion came into the limelight recently when a Cleveland Clinic doctor published a blog on Cleveland.com under the auspices of the organization’s affiliation, sharing his personal views about vaccines and calling into question their safety for young children.

For strategies on establishing a sound editorial process, as well as tips for damage control when a doctor “goes rogue” in a blog post or other social media channel, read the full story now:

Walking the Fine Line Between Fact and Opinion in Physician-Authored Writing

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President