Since there is so much discussion about medical malpractice issues in the medical blogosphere, I think it is ironic that blogging itself can be a liability. I was reminded of this after finding that the Professional Liability company, ProAssurance, provides a newsletter for doctors. The issue out in the first quarter of 2008 has an article about this risk. It documents several stories in which blogging was a practice that came with a price for doctors. It’s conclusion seemed reasonable to me:

Obviously, there are both benefits and drawbacks to technology, especially new communication methods. Most physicians would think twice before discussing legal matters in public—but some feel differently when it comes to the web. Remember, anything said by e-mail (or in a blog) is out there in cyberspace forever. Additionally, pseudonyms don’t guarantee anonymity. In Dr. Lindeman’s blog, he referred to himself as “Flea;” even though he removed his blog from the web, it was copied into other blogs and websites prior to its removal.