Doctor Ratings - a Controversial Subject

Doctor ratings websites are becoming more and more popular with the general public. Still, these sites are still a touchy subject with many in the healthcare profession. With many of them quite vocal about their problems with these sites, you may be wondering what the problem is.

Doctor ratings websites are becoming more and more popular with the general public. As more people use these sites, the more popular they become, as the information becomes more reliable and the reviews start to even out. There is no question that the average person has a lot more information to go on these days than they did even a few years ago as it pertains to their local physicians. Still, online doctor ratings are still a touchy subject with many in the healthcare profession. With many of them quite vocal about their problems with these sites, you may be wondering what the problem is.

Physician groups and critics of doctor ratings sites have a number of reasons for opposing the process. Though they don’t express their problems in these terms, one can rest assured that at least some of this resistance is the “good ole boy” network rearing its ugly head. For far too long, physicians were held accountable only in a court of law for any of their misdeeds, and that was only when they committed malpractice. If they simply had a terrible bedside manner or had a disorganized office, there were very few ways that anyone would know about it. Today, obviously, things have changed, and it is only natural that poor physicians would oppose those changes.

Of course, not all of their opposition comes from this standpoint. There are a number of good issues they bring up, not all of which have been resolved by the various sites providing doctor ratings for their readers. One hypothetical situation that has been brought up several times is the drug addict. A person wants to get his physician to prescribe him drugs that he doesn’t really need. The physician—as he should—refuses this request and is rewarded with a scathing review online. Of course, this review won’t make mention of the real reason behind the vitriol. Another scenario is that unscrupulous professionals could easily pay people to write up bad reviews of the competition (and glowing reviews of their own practice).

While the potential for dishonesty and unfair practices is certainly there in the current system, there is very little evidence that it is rampant. As a source for the average person, these sites give out more information than was ever before available. For now, that seems to be an acceptable trade. If you’re planning on using one of these sites to conduct your own physician search, remember to read carefully and use your own judgment.