Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Truth is always a defense to defamation, but truth can also bankrupt you. You should carefully weigh the benefits of the website against the cost of defending yourself should the perpetrator sue you. Defending yourself could cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, although it is possible that you might have insurance coverage if you were sued. Further, if you were sued for defamation, you would have the right to attempt to short-circuit the lawsuit with a Motion to Dismiss pursuant to the anti-SLAPP statute, and if you won that you might also get a partial award of attorneys fees from the doctor.

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Mr. Fox gave you a very good answer. I respond only to comment that I know of no insurance policy that covers defamation. It being an intentional tort, it is not even legal to cover it in many states.

Truth is a defense, but that means you'd get to raise your proof it in the lawsuit filed against you. If you're willing to pay to defend such suit, and risk a judgment against you, then you might take that risk. What you publish would have to be squeaky clean facts that you can absolutely prove in court.