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More On Attempted ME-Post Censorship

7 Responses

1. Proots, on May 20, 2009 at 11:18 PM said:

   Ann and all ME-P Readers and Subscribers

   Do you remember the name “Ross Blackstone”?

   Not long ago, while representing BCBSNM, Blackstone attempted to persuade Dr. David E. Marcinko [ME-P Publisher-in-Chief] to remove my ME-P piece describing a cautionary ModernHealthcare.com article written by former BCBSNM employee Martin Ethridgehill. Ethridgehill’s letter, which prudently urged caution in the rush for eHRs, was posted just long enough for me to find it before Becky Kinney, another BCBSNM public relations employee, negotiated a censorship deal with the publisher of MHC. She said that using caution does not reflect BCBSNM policy or something to that effect.

   As we have learned to expect, the fact that MHC folded under pressure from an influential industry bully made no difference at all to the ME-P publisher. Marcinko would have nothing to do with Ross Blackstone, the former news reporter, and sent his butt on down the road.

   Sometimes things turn out just good enough in life. Today, I discovered that hired gun Ross Blackstone has a Twitter site. Please invite our friends to follow along. I’ve already asked Blackstone if he still does PR work for BCBSNM. It can only go downhill from there.

   I actually don’t think the pawn will respond. To be honest, he probably should not respond at all – unless it is to renounce the horrendous policy of BCBSNM. That would be a gutsy move I could respect forever.

   I am not shy about my confidence, Ann. I’ve got PR hack Ross Blackstone out-classed simply because I can, and will hold him accountable for the insensitivity of the fat, slow-moving, command-and-control monster he works for.

   I will go out on an imaginary limb and declare that in the next few hours, Blackstone and I will prove forever that conventional PR is bankrupt. I’ll make the day or three interesting for Blackstone, even if he doesn’t want to participate in his roast.

   Darrell “Proots” Pruitt; DDS

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2. Darrell, on May 26, 2009 at 10:53 PM said:

   Playing SEO games against the nation’s best – and winning

   A week or so ago, I suggested that when my critical comment on PennWell titled, “Glen Tullman, CEO of Allscripts disappoints D. Kellus Pruitt DDS” was posted in early December, I suspected that Allscripts public relations personnel who are entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining favorable PR on the Internet, disingenuously started posting an unusual amount of self-serving fluff about Tullman wherever possible in order to depress the rank of my comment. They have arguably been unsuccessful in their efforts simply because my scathing comment turned out to be quite popular among readers by the merits of its content alone. But then, I could be delusional; judge for yourself.

   As many know, in the last few days, I have been busy on several venues to actively seek support from consumers and sports fans to help push my challenging comment up to CEO Tullman’s number one hit. Today it is at number 7, and according to some other sites I monitor, it is likely to soon advance to number 3 or even 2. From there, if my opinion sticks half as well as the comments I’ve posted about business leaders like the ADA’s Dr. Robert Ahlstrom, IDM’s Trajan King and ADA President-elect Dr. Ron Tankersley, it will continue to show up on Glen Tullman’s first page at least until August or September – regardless of what I do. But I should warn sports fans that I’ve been wrong before, so again no wagering, please.

   PR types should double-clutch before shifting into stupid.

   I know now that five months ago, not only was I correct about the defensive press releases that were feverishly broadcast in December, but that also, Allscripts’ high-paid PR specialists – who have no imagination for natural reasons – probably watch the same Internet markers I do. Here is the background to their latest team faux pas as I interpret it: Sometime over the long weekend Allscripts leaders became aware of what is about to happen to Tullman’s Internet reputation in the next few days, so they silently panicked, followed by a rookie-level blunder, which manifested as an order to the PR department head that went something like this, “Do something – anything.” Even the most powerful companies have problems with stupid at high speeds.

   Allscripts’ PR specialists, who have only known command-and-control their entire careers, thought that nobody in the nation would even notice that today, between 10:58 and 11:02 AM Central time, five identical press releases, each titled, “JDRF Illinois Names Allscripts CEO Glen Tullman ‘Best of Illinois’ for His Efforts to Find a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes,” appeared on five different Websites that often post press releases for profit. You have to admit that it was a little dumb, right? The brains at Allscripts should have at least spread the fluff out over a couple of days at irregular intervals so that their intentions would not be so transparent. Of course, if they interpreted the signals like I interpret them, they probably know that they cannot afford to wait until Thursday or Friday to react. They are already five months late.

   Is the extreme and careless action that we are witnessing what LinkWorth and other SEO/SEM experts might call emergency “reputation management”? Would you want your business to look so foolish?

   If you haven’t yet read the article that has Allscripts’ best PR people tripping all over themselves, please be my guest. At least click on it. Think of it as a vote for more transparent health care. And please spend a few minutes there, even if you don’t read it.

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/glen-tullman-ceo-of-allscripts?page=1&commentId=2013420%3AComment%3A22103&x=1#2013420Comment22103

   I ask all readers to do what you can to help keep PR types employed at SEO/SEM jobs. It gives me something to do between checking hygiene patients.

   So industry giant Allscripts is vulnerable to Internet transparency. Who else is? Would you believe the US Air Force? Today I posted this challenge on Twitter to Col. Page McNall on mhsocio’s site (Military Health System Chief Information Officer). I accidently misspelled his name. I wonder what that will do? I bet Col. McHall won’t like my attention any better than McNall.

   @mhsocio I invite Col. Page McHall to discuss digital dental records with me on Medical Executive-Post. Please respond. Darrell Pruitt DDS

   Col. Page McNall, since he represents the granddaddy of command-and-control, has very weak representation on the Internet, and I have a feeling that I can snuggle up against his first hit without much effort. Is that scary or what?

   For more information about my public challenge to Col. Page McNall, see my comment on Medical Executive-Post.

   https://healthcarefinancials.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/military-electronic-dental-records-edrs/#comment-4172

   If you click on it, please stay for a short time. Cast your vote. Or not.

   (I’ve got to go ahead and get this posted. Someone from MHSOCIO just called my office. I refused to take the call).

   D. Kellus Pruitt DDS

   Update: 3:45 PM

   I am evidently causing the ground to shake somewhere in the Air Force. Someone, on behalf of Col Page McNall, called my office an hour ago or so, just as I was preparing to do a filling, and wanted to privately discuss my questions about the military’s digital dental records. I’m warning everyone: Do not try this. If you call my office, and you don’t need dental work, the last thing you want to do is get me on the phone. I promise that I will share your inconsiderate behavior with everyone. Just ask Trajan King, CEO of ADA/idm.

   Dr. McNall’s nameless helper told my office manager that there is no way that he can answer my question if I don’t state it.

   Please don’t tell me that no one at the office of the Military Health System Chief Information Officer has yet read my PennWell post from December 13, 2008. Hell, they had to stumble over it to find my phone number for crying out loud.

   Darrell

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3. Dr. Pruitt, on August 13, 2009 at 9:33 PM said:

   To protect and serve

   I submitted this to be posted following DentalBlogs’ only entry onto PennWell blogs, just to keep our neighborhood clean. As usual, I was told that my comment must be approved before everyone can see it.

   Dear Editor, DentalBlogs.com:

   Did you know that today if one googles “dentalblogs.com, my article “Dentalblogs.com hates D. Kellus Pruitt DDS” has moved up to your first page? It is hit number 6. I think if I work on it, I can push my harsh criticism of your publication to number 2 within a week. You sure picked the wrong dentist to insult, didn’t you.

   Let’s talk man-to-anonymous wimp. It’s a slow news day, and I’m bored. I want some action to keep me entertained between patients. How about if I beat up on you and dentalblogs.com just for grins? Get used to it, wimp. Expect this to happen again and again without warning, regardless of what you post on your biased Website, dentalblogs.com. And if I ever again catch you posting intentionally misleading PR pieces like the CareCredit crap, I will make it very uncomfortable for whoever paid you. If you two are still on speaking terms, you should tell Cindy Hearn, Vice-President of Marketing for CareCredit/GE, that I’m watching for her and CareCredit to pop up on the Internet. Warn her that even if she never utters another peep, I’m putting together a very nasty article about the ethics of CareCredit and why I think it is wrong for the ADA to be involved with a company with such sleazy business practices. As the ADA Annual meeting approaches, I’ll really turn on the heat about intentionally taking advantage of uninformed dentists.

   I heard a rumor that editors can neither defend themselves nor protect their publication’s reputation as long as they are anonymous. Do you think that’s true? Let’s find out.

   You didn’t think I forgot about how badly you treated me, did you? Oh hell no. For quite a while now, I have felt that it is my civic duty to make jerks like you feel very unwelcome in my neighborhood until you identify yourself and exhibit better manners. I’m sort of like the self-appointed sheriff around here. I assume the community likes having me around because I very rarely hear complaints. And those I send on down the road never say anything at all because like you, they are defenseless.

   You still haven’t posted everything I’ve sent, including this message. Until that happens, expect me to bother you again and again. I don’t like you a bit, and actually enjoy picking on you. In addition, I think sports fans like seeing anonymous jerks receive what they deserve as well.

   Have you noticed that not one person has come to your defense? Why should they? You are an anonymous coward with no self respect. It amazes me that lecturers of Linda Miles’ caliber would stay with you. I’ll see what I can do to change that, as long as you have no objections.

   D. Kellus Pruitt; DDS

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4. Darrell, on August 13, 2009 at 9:35 PM said:

   Wow! I just googled “D. Kellus Pruitt DDS,” and my first hit is no longer an article I posted on December 16, 2008 titled “Glen Tullman, CEO of Allscripts disappoints D. Kellus Pruitt DDS.” It is now the article that started this thread: “DentalBlogs.com hates D. Kellus Pruitt DDS.”

   This tells me two things. First of all it is obvious proof that lots of sports fans are interested in watching me beat up on the anonymous editor and her (?) blog, DentalBlogs.com.

   Secondly, it tells me that when I moved to PennWell blogs to open “Pruitt’s Platform,” I lost a lot of followers who have been waiting months for me to reappear here on the PennWell forum where I built up my page rank long ago.

   I’m afraid “Pruitt’s Platform” has been a disappointment. I intend to return home to the forum unless anyone objects.

   D. Kellus Pruitt; DDS

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5. Dr. Pruitt, on October 8, 2009 at 10:06 AM said:

   Let’s talk, TDA

   In Austin, Texas, on October 1, a line was crossed in dental history in this fine state. The Texas Dental Association’s Director of Membership was ordered by her boss to block a TDA member from access to the professional organization’s Facebook account, and to delete everything I posted. She was told that it had to be done to protect other Facebook members from danger. So with the click of a mouse under a heavy hand, the Director of Members wiped the TDA site clean of 80% of its accumulated content without explanation or warning. In the subsequent email I received from the Director – only upon asking for help to get onto the site – I was informed that my membership privilege to post my opinion was revoked not only from the TDA Facebook, but also the TDA Twitter account for “safety” reasons. Twitter was quickly restored, but only after I complained about the pettiness of my organization’s actions. What were they thinking? They were using Facebook rules to block me from Twitter. I sure hope I’ll still get the TDA Journal.

   The news about my banishment was surprisingly sudden considering that I had been posting comments and photos on the TDA site for two months and nobody had said anything about the harm I caused. As a matter of fact, I had posted many of the same articles elsewhere on the Internet and received numerous notes of gratitude for the information – including compliments from TDA members. And judging from the popularity of my pieces as revealed by their pagerank, I say if the TDA is serious about protecting society by censoring me, the 213 Facebook members is only a miniscule fraction of those who read what I write. But don’t get me wrong. It’s a damn good start at tyranny.

   Many TDA members have actually confided that they trust me to deliver timely, unbiased information about the dental industry that they can no longer depend on from the ADA. Can you believe that? If I were still permitted to do so, I’d post that statement on TDA Facebook without hesitation. And I’d do it just because I know it is exactly the kind of information the Director’s boss thinks he or she is big enough to silence.

   So who is the nameless mid-level TDA executive protecting? One has to assume it is BCBSTX and the NPI number because those two items were all that was mentioned in the official email I received.

   Coincidentally, here is some fresh and important news members are unlikely to ever hear from the TDA. Today, as I was writing this piece, Pecan Discount Pharmacy in Granbury, Texas refused to fill my patient’s prescription because I do not have an NPI number. Even though I am a licensed dentist in the state of Texas with current DEA and state permits to prescribe antibiotics to my patient, I could not help her obtain the medicine she needs.

   So who does the NPI number hurt? And for what?

   Yesterday a BCBS employee lost a laptop containing unencrypted information about 850,000 physicians in the nation. Not only does someone now have the doctors’ NPI numbers, but also 850,000 social security numbers that the voluntary NPI numbers were meant to replace. Go BSBS!

   Yet incredibly, it is TDA policy to squelch any discussion of the NPI. TDA officers, you must be aware by now that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. And that is your decision to draw this out, not mine.

   In defense of my honor against 15 allegations of misconduct from the Texas Dental Association, including breaking the law and posting pornography, I would like to provide links to most of the comments I posted on the discussion forum of the TDA Facebook, and allow readers to determine for themselves whether harm was done to anyone other than BCBSTX. And who really gives a crap about them anyway?

   Since TDA leaders are so quiet, it’s difficult to determine which of my articles TDA leaders found offensive to membership. If TDA members asked me what topics one should avoid in order to keep from suddenly being dropped from the group, I honestly don’t know what to tell them. I don’t precisely know how I drove a rational TDA employee to suddenly become protective of other adults’ thoughts. Like I stated before, I no longer have records of what I posted on the TDA Facebook. I went to DentistryiQ to retrieve what I think were the majority of the 30 plus items I posted on the TDA Facebook between the first of August and October 1.

   October 1, “Evelyn Ireland – NADP misinformation source.”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/evelyn-ireland-nadp

   – It is my opinion that the National Association of Dental Plans holds too much power over the ADA – threatening them with the Sherman Anti-trust Act every time ADA leaders attempt to help patients afford safe dental care. That playing field can be leveled immediately if we strike down the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945. Are you sure you don’t want to keep this one posted, TDA?

   September 27. “HIPAA fines and other absurdities.”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/hipaa-fines-and-other

   – Stolen laptops, which draw inspectors like chiggers, mean bankruptcy anyway. So what the hell?

   September 26. “Encrypt or de-identify – Which one just might work?”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/encrypt-or-deidentify-which

   – Seriously. Of everything I posted on the TDA Facebook, this one is by far the most important, and by February 22, 2010, numerous Texan dentists will agree with me. If anyone at TDA headquarters has read down this far, I give you permission to re-post or even re-write this article on the Facebook. And since image is so important to you people, you can post it anonymously or pick a name. De-identification will ultimately be the solution to identity theft from Texas dentists’ offices which the TDA has yet to recognize. Please don’t let history show that the Texas Dental Association’s image delayed the magic of Open-Source Evidence-Based Dentistry. You might have to move to Oklahoma.

   September 22. “D. Kellus Pruitt’s rebuttal to Dr. Ron Tankersley’s interview part II

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/d-kellus-pruitts-rebuttal-to

   – If this were a horse race, I’d place this rebuttal, “D. Kellus Pruitt DDS predicts BCBSTX will abandon Twitter,” and “CDT Codes” as 1 – 2 – 3 in what the TDA considers dangerous information. Is it a coincidence that they were all posted a week before the national meeting? (Gasp!) If the ADA can lobby Congress, can’t I lobby the ADA House of Delegates using a TDA Website? I hear I have a couple of fans.

   September 21. “CDT Codes = ADA Cash Cow”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/cdt-codes-ada-cash-cow

   – Ouch!

   September 20. “D. Kellus Pruitt DDS predicts BCBSTX will abandon Twitter”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/d-kellus-pruitt-dds-predicts

   September 12. “Dr. Ron Tankersley’s interview draws a rebuttal”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/dr-ron-tankersleys-interview

   September 6. ” American Benefit Credit retracts Red Flags Rule statement”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/american-benefit-credit

   September 6. “Take it from a forensic dentist – Koresh is dead”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/take-it-from-a-forensic

   – I’ve received a lot of compliments for this piece. I’m sorry the TDA failed to appreciate it.

   September 2. “Dr. Donald Cohen’s opportunity”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/dr-donald-cohens-opportunity

   August 30 “Busting HIPAA myths”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/busting-hipaa-myths

   August 28. “D. Kellus Pruitt tells Jason Glavin, ‘Keep smiling’”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/d-kellus-pruitt-tells-jason

   August 27. ” CareCredit responds to D. Kellus Pruitt DDS”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/carecredit-responds-to-d

   – The ADA’s highest officials could not get CareCredit/GE officials to admit to ADA members that by signing contracts with the financial firm, dentists become covered entities under the Red Flags Rule. I found that if one pokes a sharp stick in the tender spots enough times, one can get even the fattest dinosaurs to lay down and roll over.

   August 27. “Kelly Mclendon RHIA stands up to D. Kellus Pruitt DDS”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/kelly-mclendon-rhia-stands-up

   August 22. “Calling all HIPAA consultants”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/calling-all-hipaa-consultants

   – There was a decent discussion between HIPAA consultant Tim Gregory and me somewhere around this time which is gone forever. I wonder if it disappoints Mr. Gregory. It was the best discussion about HIPAA yet. Way to go, TDA. How do you eat with those hands?

   August 20 “BCBSTX reverses NPI policy”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/bcbstx-reverses-npi-policy

   – Why is it that the TDA does not want this publicized?

   August 19. “Olivia Wann RDH questioned by D. Kellus Pruitt DDS”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/olivia-wann-rdh-questioned-by

   August 18. “Hot News – FTC issues final rule on breaches”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/hot-news-ftc-issues-final

   – I broke this news a week before any ADA news outlet mentioned it.

   August 17. “TDA welcomes transparency”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/tda-welcomes-transparency

   – For a short period of time.

   August 15. “MyFax hybrid permits interoperability”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/myfax-hybrid-permits

   – This is another important article the TDA needs to post anonymously. Or if they prefer, they can just quietly wait and see if I’m right once again.

   August 15. “Kelly Mclendon RHIA censors D. Kellus Pruitt DDS”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/kelly-mclendon-rhia-censors-d

   – I like it to be known that I bite the hand that would shut me up.

   August 11. “HITECH/HIPAA Breach notification”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/hitechhipaa-breach

   – I scooped the ADA as usual.

   August 9. “HIPAA consultants – Who can one trust?”

   http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/hipaa-consultants-who-can-one

   Those who are following the TDA Facebook simply can’t help but notice that something drastic happened. After all, once my 30 or so contributions disappeared, the site returned to its original 5 vanilla comments, a few group pictures and going nowhere. But the Website sure looks good.

   This is not looking good for you, TDA. Want to see hard justice in a cold Internet world that lacks traditional, meaningless respect for bureaucrats? I predict that this very article will become more popular than most I have written. There is a reason I did not mention names that I could easily include. I’m benevolent. So don’t forget that I offered the first token of good will. You are not in a strong position.

   D. Kellus Pruitt; DDS

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6. Darrell, on August 25, 2011 at 8:21 PM said:

   Delta Dental

   A few minutes after asking to speak with an anonymous Delta Dental employee’s supervisor, my right to post questions on Delta Dental’s Facebook was revoked without warning or explanation.

   So, if you have ever had a misunderstanding with one of their unaccountable dental consultants working on commission, or if you have ever been threatened by Delta’s infamous tyranny, please be my guest. Now’s your chance to tell Anonymous how you feel. She and her boss are listening, I promise.

   https://www.facebook.com/DeltaDentalPlansAssociation?sk=wall&filter=12

   One more thing. Please tell her I miss her.

   Darrell K. Pruitt DDS

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7. D. Kellus Pruitt DDS, on January 3, 2012 at 12:26 AM said:

   Calling on Dental Economics

   Shy Dental Economics officials know who I am.

   On May 10, 2010, Lyle Hoyt, Sr. Vice President of Dental Economics had me banned from posting consumer-friendly, blunt honesty on Dentistry iQ about protected topics like EDRs. The word is, he was persuaded to do so by an indignant ADA official whose sorry name I’ll someday learn and expose. Hours after I was censored, DE consummated an advertising deal with the ADA.

   It’s harder these days for good ol’ boys to get away with that crap like that. For example, here’s what I posted on the Dental Economics Facebook today in response to harmful, misleading information the editors should know better than to trot out on the internet.

   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dental-Economics/27744647284?sk=wall&filter=1

   ————

   Dear Dental Economics Editors,

   Would you be interested in partnering with me once again to encourage more honesty in the dental industry – like we did with Pruitt’s Platform a few years ago, but less formally? If you recall, working together for a year and a half, we decisively crushed countless fantasies about the benefits of EHRs in dentistry. I still find it thrilling to tangle up the stakeholders in their own fibs – including the author of a proven deceptive article that you 8 editors recently chose as one of the year’s two most important for dentists. What was that all about?

   Rather than giving your blessing to a CEO’s misconceptions about the return on investment from purchasing EDRs, I see an opportunity to again help our community if your bosses have grown up a little bit. By the way, I’ve asked a Dental Economics Sr. VP many times why he chose to shut down Pruitt’s Platform but he ignores me. So I quit asking – just like he hoped I would. Such insensitivity from dental industry publishers is another good reason dentistry direly needs a lot more uninvited transparency. Facebook is the best platform around, and much better than Pruitt’s.

   Sit back, loosen that tie and imagine the improvements in dentalcare you and I could initiate by once again allowing honesty to thrive. All stakeholders, including Dental Economics’ advertisers, will eventually have to accept that the internet eliminates obstacles that once conveniently shielded them from accountability. Whether those with advertised goods to move like it or not, the flat world favors informed consumers, and it’s been doctors’ sworn obligation to fight for transparency for thousands of years. Heady, revolutionary stuff, huh?

   Actually, informed consent is an important tenet of the Hippocratic Oath that is ignored by many who stand in line to profit from the sale of dangerous and expensive software to clueless dentists. It’s not difficult to see why vendors naturally prefer Dentistry iQ’s readers to remain blissfully uninformed. Silence greatly favors the sale of products with dangers nobody discusses with the most vulnerable.

   The fact that I haven’t already been blocked from the DE Facebook for bringing up the same unpopular topics that ended Pruitt’s Platform proves that you and I have come a long way in our relationships. It feels good to be unconditionally welcomed again. Thanks.

   Let’s help good things happen for informed dental patients. What do you say?

   D. Kellus Pruitt DDS

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