The Unwanted Referral

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | October 6, 2014

No. 1,018

Image: jmacommercialservices.com

One of the nicest, kindest things a lawyer or any professional can do is to use his/her knowledge to refer a friend in need to the right specialist.  You hear the story, it clicks and although you cannot help, you know someone who can.

Yet, every time I see a certain TV commercial, which also has a radio version, my blood runs cold.  In it, a newcomer gets a call from her local health insurance “concierge” welcoming her to town.  She appreciates the call.  But then, the conierge offers to refer a new doctor. That, she declares in her thoughts, is really something.

Well, yes it is something.  It is the old “nail down the business for our guys before it gets away” something.  This person is not doing a fellow human being a favor.  She is doing something she’s getting paid for — helping to fill up one of the the family medicine or pediatric practices owned by the hospital that owns the insurance company that hires the concierge.  That’s real service.  Self-service.

Maybe the practice has nice, conscientious and very competent doctors, the kind that anyone really in the know would recommend with gusto.  Everything would be alright then, wouldn’t it?

Now, lets change the commercial just a little.  The nice new neighbor thanks the concierge and says: “Why are you recommending this doctor?  What do you know about her?  What have you personally experienced that makes you want to recommend her?

Pass that test and maybe you should take the recommendation.

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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