Facebook comments lead to Denver Health backlash for anesthesiologist

Practice Management

Denver Health disciplined an anesthesiologist over a Facebook post, according to The Denver Post.

The anesthesiologist, Michelle Herren, MD, commented with her personal Facebook page to another post that called first lady Michelle Obama eloquent. Dr. Herren wrote multiple comments on the post, eventually writing: "Monkey face and poor ebonic English!!! There! I feel better and am still not racist!!! Just calling it like it is!"

 

Denver Health released an initial statement about the comments, reporting Dr. Herren's words were "an insult to the mission and values of Denver Health, and to staff and patients." Dr. Herren provided anesthesia care at Children's Hospital of Colorado on a limited basis prior to her Facebook posts. The hospital has since issued a statement saying Dr. Herren "will no longer be providing clinical services" there.

 

She also held a non-academic appointment at CU School of Medicine, but according to a separate report from The Denver Post, the University is "planning to cut ties" with Dr. Herren.

 

Time's publication motto said Dr. Herren deleted her Facebook account and told an ABC affiliate she didn't realize her words were offensive.

 

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