subject: Submitting Physician Ratings & Reviews [print this page] Physician ratings and reviews are quite helpful to people looking for a new doctor or health care facility. But what if you're a patient wanting to critique your experiences with a health care practitioner or their office? Here are some tips about reviewing medical practitioners and facilities.
- Great experience: If a patient has had a wonderful experience with a doc or hospital, they may want to blare the trumpets and spread the word for the good of their fellow consumers. Perhaps a troubling disease has finally been diagnosed properly and cured after a lengthy search for answers. Perhaps a new mom has given birth to healthy twins after years of infertility. It's true; when someone does a good deed, a great way to repay them is by spreading the word about their expertise and stellar service. Patients suffering from the same or different condition may obtain hope and guidance by reading others' stories. It's almost like a healed person's duty to share their story in order to help others in a similar situation.
- Bad experience: On the flip side of the coin, many patients have had unsavory experiences with medical personnel or facilities. Everything from a doctor's cranky bedside manner or inept nursing staff to incorrect diagnoses and downright dangerous errors. If a physician is truly terrible, not only should an online posting be made, but the improprieties should be reported to the proper authorities. The proper authorities may be the state medical licensing board or the person's supervisor, if there is one. One thing a consumer should think about when reporting an unsatisfactory experience is whether they are acting from facts or emotions. It is always a good idea to think things through and not act out of anger or emotional upheaval. Posting a day or so after an unfortunate experience has occurred will likely make reports more level headed and therefore effective. It's hard to take advice from someone who's flying off the handle. On the other hand, other consumers should be promptly informed about ineffective providers of health care. Bad reviews must be made with good judgment.
- Who posts reviews? Physician ratings and reviews are generally posted by members of online consumer review sites. Anonymous ratings and posts are not generally allowed as they would lack credibility. This is similar to a person writing in to a newspaper's editorial column. If a person wants to spout their opinion, they must be willing to sign their name to the missive and own it.
- Can non-members post opinions, as well? Some sites will allow non-members to offer commentary on various practitioners and facilities. Their comments may or may not be posted, depending on the site. Even when these posts are made viewable to the public, the non-members aren't usually allowed to fill out the full rating paperwork to offer a comprehensive rating.
- Do doctors or hospitals respond to postings on online websites? Many do and this is, in fact, encouraged. There are always two sides to every story and the consumer will be aided by hearing both.
Physician ratings systems can help consumers make wise choices regarding their health care. These systems also allow previous patients to have their say.
by: Abigail Aaronson
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