Maybe Lasik surgeons should also offer discount incentives to certain
patients to NOT post their results (while it can still be called a
discount and not a malpractice payout)....
"LAST September, Michelle Wilder left Dr. Emil W. Chynn of Park Avenue
Laser armed with the usual postoperative fare: eyedrops, sungl***** and
a pair of prescription-free contact lenses. And oh, yes: a DVD of her
Lasek surgery, so she could experience from the confines of her own home
the joy of watching the doctor scrape her eyeballs.
Dave Gibson thought that promoting Dr. Emil W. Chynn was a no-brainer.
Her viewing pleasure was not Dr. Chynnıs only concern. He hoped Ms.
Wilder would be so thrilled with her results that she would post the
10-minute video on YouTube, along with his credentials, a link to his
Web site, and a rave review.
As an incentive, Dr. Chynn offered either a free Botox injection worth
$400 or a $100 discount on the $5,000 Lasek operation, which, unlike
Lasik, doesnıt entail cutting a flap in the cornea.
³I thought it was a little odd, because I was wondering Who wants to
see my surgery?ı ² said Ms. Wilder, 25, a Manhattan accountant. ³But
then I thought, Well, itıs just my eye, you canıt see anything else
about me, so of course Iıll post it.ı ² Why not take a discount, she
reasoned.
Doctors have long recruited patients to help advertise witness the
doctor-patient tag teams on talk shows and infomercials. It has remained
an open question as to whether doctors pay or remunerate those smiling
patients in violation of the rules of many physician associations. But
itıs now clear that doctors openly offer ³thank you² rebates and
discounts to patients who post videos of their breast augmentations,
bright white teeth or nose jobs or are willing to be taped extolling
the virtues of their physician." (follow link to read the whole article)
Address :
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/fa****on/26SKIN.html?th&emc=th>
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~RT
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