If a doctor knows a patient has been mistreated by another doctor he can call that doctor directly, he can go to the medical staff director if it is hospital-related or the state medical society or he can report the action to the state medical board. Of course, all those actions have the requirement that some objective facts justify a complaint, something more substantive than personal animus or the wish to disadvantage a physician practice competitor. Using a patient’s trust to those latter ends is wrongful and unprofessional itself.

Sometimes a gentle suggestion such as “I know how happy you are with Dr. X, and that is important, but in matters like yours, sometimes it is best to get a second opinion if for nothing better than to be certain you have heard another doctor with the same expertise tell you that what Dr. X suggests is the best course of action.”

The physician who disparages another doctor, no matter how justified that criticism might be, is not really holding the interests of his patient’s welfare above his own emotions. We all ought to try to do better.