🩺 Maintaining Professional Integrity in the Digital Age:

 Our Policy on Responding to Online Patient Reviews

By Dr. Shawanda R. Obey, MD, MPH

Owner & Medical Director, Summit Women’s & Wellness Medical Group

In today’s digital environment, patients often turn to online platforms to share their experiences with healthcare providers. While feedback—positive or negative—can help practices improve, it also raises important questions about accuracy, transparency, ethics, and patient privacy.

As a HIPAA-compliant medical practice, Summit Women’s & Wellness Medical Group is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism in every interaction, including the way we respond to public reviews.

Unfortunately, misinformation can spread quickly, and it can mislead vulnerable patients seeking trustworthy care. When a patient publicly posts inaccurate statements about medical operations or clinical conduct, we have both a responsibility and a right to correct those inaccuracies for the safety of the public and the integrity of the profession.

Today, I want to clearly outline our formal policy on how we handle public reviews.

📌 Our Ethical Framework for Responding to Public Reviews

At Summit Women’s & Wellness, we are guided by five foundational principles:

1️⃣ We never disclose new protected health information (PHI). Ever.

HIPAA prohibits healthcare providers from releasing private medical details that have not been shared publicly by the patient.

This remains true even when a patient posts negative or inaccurate statements.

2️⃣ When a patient voluntarily shares their own medical information publicly, we may correct factual inaccuracies without adding new PHI.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, a healthcare provider is permitted to respond to a public post as long as no new PHI is disclosed.

HHS states:

“A covered entity may respond to a patient’s public post if the provider does not reveal additional PHI.”

— HHS HIPAA Social Media Guidance

This is a critical distinction that the public is often unaware of.

If a patient voluntarily discloses:

• Their diagnosis

• Their pregnancy status

• Their treatment

• Their healthcare interactions

• Dates, symptoms, or experiences

…they have waived confidentiality over that specific information.

Any response by the provider must stay strictly within what the patient themselves made public.

And ours always do.

3️⃣ We correct misinformation because it can harm patients—and the public.

False allegations about clinical care, wait times, scheduling practices, ultrasound procedures, or safety protocols can mislead other pregnant women and cause unnecessary fear or confusion.

Correcting inaccuracies protects:

• Current patients

• Future patients

• Clinical safety

• Public understanding of medical care

Responding accurately is a matter of ethical responsibility, not retaliation.

4️⃣ Our responses are factual, respectful, and professional—and never retaliatory.

We do not argue with patients. We do not shame them.

We do not reveal confidential records.

We correct false statements calmly and factually.

Our professionalism does not bend simply because the conversation occurs online.

5️⃣ We are proud of our record of excellent care.

Summit Women’s & Wellness has hundreds of positive reviews from a diverse and growing patient community.

The overwhelming majority of our patients describe:

• Compassion

• Respect

• Thorough evaluation

• Personalized medical care

• Excellent outcomes

• Supportive staff

• Trust in the practice

This reflects who we are.

One false or misleading review does not define the high-quality care we provide.

📌 Why This Transparency Matters

Online reviews influence medical decision-making.

Expectant patients often search for reassurance and safety.

If false information goes uncorrected, it can:

• Misinform pregnant patients

• Create unnecessary anxiety

• Undermine trust in appropriate, evidence-based care

• Damage the reputation of practices serving vulnerable communities

By publicly outlining our policies, we ensure that patients understand not only how we provide care—but how we communicate when challenged.

This supports:

• Patient safety

• Public trust

• Clinical transparency

• Ethical digital communication

📘 Legal Foundations of Our Policy

Our approach is fully aligned with:

 HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR §160.103)

Defines PHI as information not already publicly disclosed by the patient.

HHS Social Media Guidance

Allows providers to respond publicly as long as no new PHI is introduced.

 HIPAA Court & Administrative Disclosure Exceptions (45 CFR §164.512)

Permit limited disclosure when necessary to defend against accusations.

California Civil Code §§45–46

Protect businesses from defamation and allow factual rebuttal of false statements.

Our practice follows these standards with precision in every online response.

🌟 A Final Message to Our Community

At Summit Women’s & Wellness Medical Group, our mission is—and has always been—to provide safe, compassionate, culturally respectful, evidence-based care to women and families.

We embrace honest feedback, and we value the trust our patients place in us.

We will continue to respond transparently when necessary, while always protecting privacy and dignity.

Thank you to the hundreds of families who continue to trust us with their care.

We are honored to serve the Inland Empire community with skill, integrity, and heart.

— Dr. Shawanda R. Obey, MD, MPH

Summit Women’s & Wellness Medical Group