| The increasing popularity of Web sites that rate | | | | What health care professionals fear most about |
| physicians is causing plenty of angst and trepidation in | | | | user-generated comments are negative or vindictive |
| the health care community. Rating movies and books | | | | comments from unhappy patients. Thankfully, these |
| is one thing, but dishing and gushing about a doctor | | | | are the minority, making up fewer than 10% of all |
| seems to be something completely different. Like it or | | | | comments, according to research on consumer |
| not, patients are posting unsolicited opinions on an | | | | product review sites, but they can have a |
| ever-growing list of sites like Vitals.com, and Even | | | | disproportionate effect on a doctor's reputation. The |
| Angieslist.com, the subscription service known for | | | | biggest reason patients vent online is because they |
| recommending plumbers and decorators, is now in the | | | | feel there is no other way to voice their concerns. |
| business of rating doctors. | | | | Similarly, the biggest complaint that doctors have about |
| Although only about 22% of patients are currently | | | | rating sites is that there is no way for them to respond |
| using rating sites to evaluate their doctors, the numbers | | | | to negative comments. |
| are expected to grow. A recent Wall Street Journal | | | | While it won't be possible to eliminate all negative |
| Harris poll indicates that 91% of patients are interested | | | | comments, you can significantly reduce their number |
| in referring to doctor ratings for information on trust, | | | | by making it easy for patients to express their |
| communications, medical knowledge, availability and | | | | concerns directly to you. This can be a simple email |
| office environment. Searching for doctor ratings online | | | | sent to a patient after an appointment, a brief |
| is also favored by younger generations, who are | | | | follow-up call or a mailing to get feedback about their |
| comfortable using the Internet to guide their decisions. | | | | experience. Place a sign in your office inviting patients |
| As those consumers age, their use of health care will | | | | to express concerns and have patient feedback |
| grow, which is likely to have a direct impact on the | | | | forms readily available. If a patient is dissatisfied it |
| increasing usage of doctor rating sites. | | | | should be easy for him or her to raise their concerns. |
| Like it or not, it looks as though doctor rating sites are | | | | This gives you the opportunity to respond and prevent |
| here to stay. So, what can a doctor or medical | | | | the negative online venting that occurs from people |
| practice do to create and maintain a positive online | | | | who feel like their feedback wasn't heard. |
| reputation? Here are five tips to help doctors influence | | | | 4. Periodically check sites for "easy" fixes. |
| their online ratings and minimize the effects of negative | | | | Although most ratings on doctor ratings sites are |
| reviews: | | | | positive, many of the complaints left by patients aren't |
| 1. Complete your profile on doctor rating sites. | | | | about major issues. Most complaints deal with smaller |
| Several websites, such as WebMD, offer doctors the | | | | issues such as waiting too long for an appointment or |
| opportunity to insert information about their practice | | | | feeling that the front desk staff is unfriendly. Such small |
| online. Going online to register only takes a few | | | | annoyances can easily be corrected and eliminated. |
| minutes, and it allows you to post current and accurate | | | | Visitors to online rating sites frequently consider the |
| information about your practice. By making the effort | | | | most recent reviews to be most indicative of |
| to create a complete online profile for your practice, | | | | performance; so, if you are able to address concerns |
| patients will recognize that you are engaging online and | | | | shown in older comments, you will reduce their |
| listening to their feedback, which helps create a good | | | | significance. In fact, you can benefit from admitting to |
| first impression on the site. | | | | patients that you are addressing concerns brought up |
| 2. Give your patients guidance about doctor rating | | | | on the doctor rating sites. This simple action helps |
| sites. | | | | patients feel that you are listening to their feedback, |
| While it's impossible to prevent patients from using | | | | which increases appreciation for any improvements. |
| rating Web sites, you can help them evaluate which | | | | 5. Encourage your patients to submit their feedback to |
| sites provide the most reputable and relevant | | | | doctor rating sites. |
| information. Some sites feature only numerical ratings | | | | Most doctor rating sites are predominantly filled with |
| by patients, while others allow patients to write | | | | positive comments because satisfied patients are |
| comments. A few of the sites provide information | | | | usually happy to write online reviews. Even though |
| about doctor certifications, or link to databases that | | | | dissatisfied reviewers are more aggressive in posting |
| patients can search. As more rating sites are | | | | their opinions, they are usually only a very small |
| developed, some will report quality and patient | | | | percentage of your overall patients. As a result, when |
| experience data, as well as patient comments. You | | | | more patients review a doctor online, the reviews |
| can expect to see cost and outcome information on | | | | become more positive and accurate. |
| the web in the near future. Knowing what sites have | | | | If your happiest patients aren't recommending you, it's |
| the most accurate and helpful information will help you | | | | probably because it hasn't crossed their mind. If you |
| and your patients make the best of this technology. | | | | want an overall positive online rating you need to be |
| Creating a simple handout advising patients to look for | | | | proactive in asking patients to rate you online. Send |
| sites with higher numbers of reviews by patients | | | | patients a follow-up email asking nicely for a rating, |
| (resulting in more accurate ratings), and informing | | | | have a small card they can take home with them, or |
| patients on how to research their doctor's medical | | | | subtly bring the rating sites to their attention by clipping |
| experience will help them make good decisions about | | | | a positive review or two to a bulletin board. You can |
| which sites to use, and may cause patients to think of | | | | even ask patients to review their visit online - although |
| you and doctor rating sites in a positive light. | | | | don't pressure patients to strictly post positive reviews. |
| 3. Provide an easy way for patients to submit | | | | The goal is to encourage as many patients as possible |
| feedback about their patient experience. | | | | to rate you online. |