Online doctor ratings can be very useful when choosing who to consult, but they have some shortcomings that it is important to be aware of.
Ratings may provide insight into a doctor’s communication skills, bedside manner, and skill in diagnosis or procedures.
However, the motivations for leaving a rating and the way ratings are collected could make reviews biased.
This guide will explain how to interpret online doctor ratings and how to use them.
To understand how to interpret doctor ratings, it can help to know:
How the platform works
There are many review platforms that each work in different ways.
For example, some are general rating websites open to anyone. They do not verify that ratings come from real patients and may not capture all patients. This can mean that:
- only very happy or unhappy patients leave a rating
- people who are not patients leave ratings
- a person can pay for or generate fake reviews
Other platforms may be able to gather ratings in a way that captures real patients. For example, a healthcare facility may ask all patients for ratings when they leave their care.
This system is still imperfect, as people with strong opinions may be more motivated to share their thoughts. But it does mean there may be a better sample than on platforms open to anyone.
Another factor to consider is whether doctors or healthcare facilities can influence the ratings on the platform. If they can, they may be able to boost or highlight positive ratings or have negative reviews deleted.
What the ratings measure
Similarly, different ratings platforms quantify their ratings in different ways.
Some platforms have a straightforward 0 to 5 star rating system, but this can have limitations. For example, some may base their review on the doctor’s behavior or personality, while others may base it on health goals and results.
Other platforms may ask more specific questions about different aspects of care, such as:
- communication
- responsiveness
- bedside manner
- expertise
Doctor ratings are not always reliable. A 2019 review of past research notes that online ratings often do not correlate with objective measures of competence, such as clinical outcomes, complication rates, or mortality rates.
Another 2023 review of 28 past studies reached similar conclusions, finding that while reviews contained much information about patient perceptions, they may not accurately represent healthcare quality.
Many factors can affect how a person feels about doctors, including things that are not necessarily within the doctor’s control, such as:
- the behavior of other staff members, such as receptionists
- parking availability
- location
- waiting lists
- cost
These factors do not necessarily relate to a doctor’s competence, but they can cause patients frustration, worry, or inconvenience.
Physicians and anyone else related to a person’s care can also not respond to negative ratings because revealing patient information might violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This means they cannot provide additional context that would explain negative reviews.
It is important to bear this in mind when looking at online ratings or reviews, especially if there is little explanation given for the rating.
A person’s choice of doctor is a complex and often personal decision. Before using doctor ratings to make this decision, look into the:
- Number of ratings: The more reviews a clinician has from real patients, the more reliable their ratings will be. A handful of negative reviews may only reflect a minority of patients.
- Date of ratings: Recent ratings will reflect how a doctor practices now. If most of the ratings are from years ago, they may not apply anymore.
- Who controls the platform: If a doctor or medical facility has some control of the platform on which their ratings appear, they may be able to influence what people see.
- Motivations: If possible, try to determine why people are leaving ratings. If ratings are something a doctor welcomes and asks all patients for after their treatment as a matter of routine, this may be a good sign.
- Detail and specificity: Written reviews that praise or criticize specific things can help people determine if the review is fair and focuses on the doctor themselves, rather than other factors.
- Consistency: If different people often highlight something about the doctor they liked or disliked, this may be worth noting.
Some red flags that may indicate ratings are not reliable include:
- a low number of ratings
- only old reviews
- an influx of recent reviews from accounts that are all brand new
- many ratings in a short period of time
- reviews from different accounts that all sound very similar, as though they could be from the same person
- reviews solely based on something unrelated to the doctor themselves, such as parking
- reviews that express prejudice toward a doctor based on their race, ethnicity, gender, or other characteristic
It is also worth considering a person’s specific criteria for what they want in a doctor. For example, a doctor not making house calls may be a downside for one person but not for another.
Other
If there are few reliable ratings available, consider using other sources of information to make the decision.
Online doctor ratings are one type of information a person may use to choose a doctor. Other types include:
- professional profiles or bios, which detail their training and expertise
- word-of-mouth recommendations
- recommendations from other medical professionals
- data on success rates
Another option is to call or meet with a doctor to ask questions and learn how they treat patients.
People can use the above in combination with online ratings, or in place of them if the ratings seem dubious.
Online doctor ratings and reviews can be useful tools for finding the right medical professional, but they have some limitations and can be prone to bias.
A higher number of ratings, recent ratings, and patient verification are signs that ratings may be more reliable. However, these signs do not guarantee that online ratings will be accurate or reflect a doctor’s patient outcomes.
Wherever possible, people should consider multiple sources of information when choosing a doctor, such as recommendations from medical professionals, professional profiles, and data.