Jeffrey Quick's Blog

Blunt doc saved by judge

Dr. Terry Bennett uses some pretty stark language with his patients when he thinks it's necessary. The NH Board of Medicine wanted to discipline him for that. Judge Edward Fitzgerald disagreed:

"It is nonetheless important ... to ensure that physicians and patients are free to discuss matters relating to health without fear of government reprisal, even if such discussions may sometimes be harsh, rude or offensive to the listener," he concluded in the ruling Wednesday.

Fitzgerald also ruled that state and American Medical Association requirements to treat patients with "compassion and respect for human dignity and rights" are so vague they are unconstitutional. Bennett probably would have won his challenges before the board, the judge said.

If a patient thinks that a doctor is rude, he can fire him. This is not an area (if there is any area) where governmental professional boards should have any say. Myself, I'd rather have a doctor who cared enough to get in my face.

And of course, sellers of foods, drugs and supplements apparently don't have the same freedom, for some odd reason.