Doctors Want Patients To Waive Their Right to Comment Online!

I thought I'd heard everything by now. I was wrong.

A North Carolina neurosurgeon has created a company that provides doctors with a written waiver (for a fee) that basically says, I agree not to post negative reviews about my doctor online.

Wow. The premise is that patients have the ability to comment anonymously online about a doctor. This neurosurgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Segal hopes this will nip the negative criticism's in the bud. 

Here's how it works. When you walk into a doctor's office, you are required to fill out lots of forms. One form that this doctor advocates having patients sign is a "Waiver." This means that the patient gives up their right to post opinions about the doctor online. The article does not mention what has happened if a patient refuses to sign such a waiver, or whether the patient will still be seen and treated.

This waiver appears to be nothing more than an attempt by doctors to limit the negative opinions that patients may truly have. Sounds like a restriction of freedom of speech to me.