What Can You Learn from Doctors Ratings or Rankings Websites?
A lot of good information – and misinformation – about doctors is available on the Internet. As you research doctors, you may come across physicians ratings or rankings websites. Just like plumbers, hairdressers or painters, physicians’ services may be rated, ranked, advertised, or otherwise promoted online. But just like ratings for other service businesses, the information must be interpreted to be sure it accurately reflects the person and the service provided. Not all the available ratings or rankings sites provide correct information. It’s up to us patients to figure out which ones are most useful as we judge a doctor’s competence to diagnose and treat us. What Kinds of Ratings Sites Exist? There are four business models for doctor rating or ranking sites: • Private or nonprofit sites that provide information at no cost to patients. These range from the various professional boards that certify doctors to those that are advertising-based or charge fees to the doctors, other profess
