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