Lloyd Flatt's Blog: Mars Hospital: A Doctor's Novel
October 8, 2025
Why I chose Satire: Legal Threats
Satire is the use of the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. And, importantly, it is a form of speech that has greater legal protections.
In the course of writing this satire exposing many "contemporary topical issues" in medicine both my publisher and I were threatened with legal action, including defamation, by the medical establishment. This was designed to frighten us and stop publication of my book. It didn't work.
Ask yourself: Why would they do this? What do they have to fear?
And understand that by using satire, including sometimes offensive and "over the top" humor, my free speech rights to expose serious problems in modern healthcare were protected. Those who threatened legal action never actually sued.
If some of what I wrote offends a few readers, it is a small price to pay to tell my story. It isn't just a marketing slogan: This is the book the medical establishment really doesn't want you to read.
In the course of writing this satire exposing many "contemporary topical issues" in medicine both my publisher and I were threatened with legal action, including defamation, by the medical establishment. This was designed to frighten us and stop publication of my book. It didn't work.
Ask yourself: Why would they do this? What do they have to fear?
And understand that by using satire, including sometimes offensive and "over the top" humor, my free speech rights to expose serious problems in modern healthcare were protected. Those who threatened legal action never actually sued.
If some of what I wrote offends a few readers, it is a small price to pay to tell my story. It isn't just a marketing slogan: This is the book the medical establishment really doesn't want you to read.
October 7, 2023
Why I wrote this novel
This novel is a satire. It is meant to be funny. It is meant to shock and offend. It is meant to entertain.
But, using satire as the vehicle, this novel talks about very real problems in healthcare-and society.
The novel touches on a host of topics. These are just a few you might not have heard of before.
Did you know:
Doctors these days are usually employees and subject to the whims of administrators who are their bosses and overlords. This novel shows the impact of this new reality.
Doctors who are employees are paid, in part, based on "customer satisfaction" metrics. This novel shows the terrible things these metrics lead to and shows-clearly-how this fed into the opioid crisis we face today.
Administrators waste tons of healthcare dollars on silly consulting programs. Get ready to sing the "Get Crabby!" theme song and clap your hands to "Firecracker!"
"Not for profit" hospitals are all about profit. They abuse the tax free status they enjoy and vigorously collect bills-often criminally fraudulent bills-against the poorest and most uneducated members of society.
And related to this, debtors prisons are alive and well in the U.S. today. Yes, debtors prisons.
These are just a few of the serious healthcare problems outlined in my satire.
But, using satire as the vehicle, this novel talks about very real problems in healthcare-and society.
The novel touches on a host of topics. These are just a few you might not have heard of before.
Did you know:
Doctors these days are usually employees and subject to the whims of administrators who are their bosses and overlords. This novel shows the impact of this new reality.
Doctors who are employees are paid, in part, based on "customer satisfaction" metrics. This novel shows the terrible things these metrics lead to and shows-clearly-how this fed into the opioid crisis we face today.
Administrators waste tons of healthcare dollars on silly consulting programs. Get ready to sing the "Get Crabby!" theme song and clap your hands to "Firecracker!"
"Not for profit" hospitals are all about profit. They abuse the tax free status they enjoy and vigorously collect bills-often criminally fraudulent bills-against the poorest and most uneducated members of society.
And related to this, debtors prisons are alive and well in the U.S. today. Yes, debtors prisons.
These are just a few of the serious healthcare problems outlined in my satire.
