“Is there a doctor here?”
It’s a phrase that cuts through the noise of everyday life—a flight attendant’s urgent plea on a transatlantic flight, or a sudden call during a moment of worship. I have lived through my fair share of those chaotic scenes—public dramas where instinct once propelled me forward without hesitation. Over time, the frequency of these moments, and the emotional weight they carried, dulled the adrenaline. Recently, during prayers at our mosque, when the familiar call went out, I remained silent. Another Good Samaritan stepped forward. My older son noticed and commented later. The truth is, I have answered that call many times before. I have done my share.
Recently, Dr. Dana Corriel, founder of SoMeDocs, posed a simple yet profound question on LinkedIn: “What do you do when someone comments inside your community seeking medical advice?” Her query stemmed from a real-life situation within her digital community, where a member openly sought medical guidance. It was a real-time raw comment the virtual person wrote “Today I feel empty and unmotivated; my life has lost it purpose I feel like killing myself”. This stirred deep reflection in me, as it likely did for many physicians who straddle the worlds of both brick-and-mortar and online medicine.
Physicians are wired to respond. The call for help – whether on a sidewalk, on a plane, or through a glowing screen – awakens a part of us that cannot look away. But how do we balance our instinct to heal with the evolving risks and responsibilities of being Good Samaritans in an increasingly digital and litigious society?
The story Dr. Corriel shared captures the tension that modern physicians live with daily: wanting to help but wary of unintended consequences. Her bravery in bringing the issue to light invites a broader conversation about what it means to be a good Samaritan today — both in person and online.
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The Good Samaritan in Practice: The Imperative to Help
Physicians have long been considered natural good Samaritans. It is second nature for us to offer assistance when we encounter someone sick or injured, even under less-than-ideal circumstances — on airplanes, in grocery stores, at family events. Doctors instinctively stop in the midst of their vacation, their business trip, or their work to offer assistance as good Samaritans, often under trying conditions.
Our ethical obligations are clear: “to provide whatever appropriate assistance you can to any person with an urgent need for medical care.” Similar principles appear in medical oaths and professional codes worldwide. It is not merely a suggestion; it is ingrained into our very identity. Yet offering help is not without risk. The legal obligations vary by jurisdiction, and while protections usually exist for those who act in good faith, physicians remain concerned about liability — especially when care is rendered outside a formal healthcare setting.
Risks and Realities: The Hidden Peril of Good Deeds
Annet Alenyo Ngabirano, MD, captures the raw vulnerability of physicians stepping into the fray in her harrowing account published in Annals of Emergency Medicine on The Peril of Good Samaritans. After helping two accident victims without formal backup, she found herself wrongly accused by the very patients she tried to save. In an instant, her identity shifted from healer to suspect.
“I am a good Christian woman, but at that moment, I felt in all honesty a murderous rage,” she admits.
Her experience resonates deeply. We want to do good. But good intentions can entangle us in misunderstandings, accusations, and legal jeopardy. Even though there is generally no law compelling us to intervene, offering aid opens the door to civil liability claims if harm occurs or even if recovery is incomplete. Even when protections such as good Samaritan laws exist, they often shield only against “ordinary” negligence, not “gross” negligence. In other words, a heroic act performed under imperfect conditions could still invite scrutiny and blame if outcomes are unfavorable. Doctors are not immune from liability when acting as Good Samaritans… protections aren’t always ironclad.
Good Samaritans in the Digital Arena
If the physical world offers risks, the digital world magnifies them. Social media collapses distance, time, and formal boundaries. When someone posts “Help!” in a Facebook group, a LinkedIn thread, on Instagram, on TikTok or in a community forum like SoMeDocs, our Hippocratic instincts surge forward. Yet online, the nuances of context, consent, privacy, and professional boundaries are even harder to navigate. Even a well-meaning comment could be construed as establishing a physician-patient relationship, with all its attendant legal and ethical obligations.
Moreover, what we write online can live forever. A single screenshot can become evidence in unforeseen litigation. An innocent “advice” post can be misinterpreted, misapplied, or misrepresented. The heart aches to help. But the mind — conditioned by training, experience, and caution — reminds us: “Be careful.”. SoMeDocs physicians should be extra cautious if they are not in clinical practice and don’t have an active malpractice liability insurance that may potentially protect them.
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Navigating the New Good Samaritan Landscape
So how should physicians approach the call for help — whether on the street or on the web?
We should offer presence, not diagnosis, whether in person or online, offering general support “I’m so sorry you’re experiencing this; please seek immediate care” is usually appropriate. Diagnosing or suggesting specific treatments without a formal evaluation crosses a dangerous line. Physicians acting as good Samaritans should maintain boundaries. In the digital settings, physicians should refrain from individualized advice. Redirect people to appropriate medical channels. A warm referral protects both the patient and the physician. Sometimes even a suggestion is problematic and past case law shows that even advise to head to the hospital, vs. call 911 vs. waiting to contact a primary care physician can be a source of liability.
Physicians should document if needed and in a physical setting where aid is provided, documenting the encounter privately afterward creates a record if questions later arise. In good Samaritan online encounter, we should avoid discussing cases in identifiable ways. We should also know the legal terrain and familiarize ourselves with our state and jurisdiction’s Good Samaritan laws. Understanding when protections applies and when it may not. Being forewarned is being forearmed.
Protect your mental health. I can tell volumes about being falsely accused but Dr. Ngabirano was falsely accused like I was. Also facing online criticism can be deeply traumatic. We should have systems in place to seek support if needed and lead by example. By modeling compassionate but cautious behavior, physicians can set community norms that honor both our ethical call and our practical realities.
The Deeper Question: Who Are We?
Beyond legality, the Good Samaritan debate touches the heart of who we are as physicians. We did not enter medicine to become legal technicians. We became physicians because we believe in human dignity, in alleviating suffering, in answering the calls others may not hear. The world is increasingly fragmented, cautious, and transactional. Yet physicians, at our best, remain bearers of a different ethic — one rooted in mercy, courage, and service. Helping someone on the street, in the air, or online is not just a professional duty. It is a human one. The risks are real, but the calling is deeper still.
Choosing Courage, with Wisdom
Dr. Corriel’s post reminds us: the Good Samaritan impulse is alive and well among physicians. Yet we must also bring wisdom to our courage. We live in a time when transparency, documentation, and boundary-setting are not acts of cowardice, but of prudence. Protecting ourselves ensures we can continue serving others.
The physician of the future and the present must marry the ancient instincts of compassion with the modern realities of professionalism. We must walk the road of the Good Samaritan, but we must do so with eyes open, heart ready, and armor in place. For in every act of presence online or in person — we bear witness not only to another’s need but to the enduring spirit of medicine itself.
