Negative online reviews can significantly impact physicians by affecting their professional reputation, patient trust, and practice growth. In today’s digital world, potential patients often rely on online reviews when selecting healthcare providers. A series of poor reviews can deter prospective patients, leading to a decline in appointments and revenue. Physicians may not know how to effectively respond to a negative online review in a way that can neutralize the comments while displaying empathy and providing additional context for issues raised in the review. Physicians also need to be aware of legal limitations in responding to reviews, and how to combat abusive or defamatory comments.

The Illinois State Medical Society invites you to join attorneys William Cadigan, JD; Michael Pelagalli, JD; and Daniel Powell, JD for a program will provide physicians with effective strategies for responding to negative online reviews, focusing on maintaining professionalism, patient privacy and reputation management.

Who can attend:

Registration is limited to ISMS members and their employed staff.

About the Presenters:

William Cadigan, J.D. is principal in the Law Office of William J. Cadigan, P.C. with offices in Winnetka and Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Cadigan also serves as a consultant to the Washington D.C. office of the national law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld L.L.P. In his practice, Mr. Cadigan represents businesses, healthcare providers and tax-exempt organizations in corporate, transactional and regulatory matters.

Daniel Powell, J.D. is a seasoned litigator with a stellar track record of victories as both a trial attorney and an innovative online problem solver who has emerged as an established leader in the Internet Defamation field. Because he understands that each client and each issue is unique, Mr. Powell takes great care and pride in developing and implementing an individually tailored plan of action for every one of his representative matters.

Michael Pelagalli, J.D. understands that time is of the essence when the reputation an individual or business has tirelessly built and worked to earn is attacked. Based on his years of experience as an attorney, he has witnessed firsthand the significant tangible and intangible impact even one defamatory statement can have on an individual or business’s good name.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe valuable information on how to guard against, defend, and possibly even remove false or misleading online reviews;
• Recognize how to develop and implement policies and procedures that might help head off an online reputational attack before it occurs; and
• Identify an overview of legal remedies and best practices for physicians and medical practices when they are targeted in a negative, false, or defamatory online incident.

Accreditation: The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Credit designation: The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Disclosure: There are no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined commercial interests for anyone who was in control of the content of this activity.