Online doctor ratings can help you select the right medical professional for your needs. Knowing what the ratings mean and how to identify red flags in written reviews can be important.
Anybody can leave an online rating and review after a doctor’s appointment. They can provide honest overviews of a person’s experience with a medical professional, which can be helpful if you’re trying to decide on the right doctor for you.
However, it is important to take certain factors into consideration when looking at online reviews, such as the authenticity of the feedback.
Read on to learn more about what online doctor ratings mean, red flags to look out for, and more.
Online doctor ratings can be a reliable reflection of patient satisfaction.
If you look at ratings on sites that are independent from the doctor’s practice, the overall rating is more likely to accurately reflect real feedback, as medical professionals are unable to amend or remove the reviews and ratings.
However, as a 2019 article explains, online doctor ratings may not be the most accurate way to judge a doctor’s skill. They may be more likely to mention factors such as wait times, which are usually outside of a doctor’s control.
They may also not be up to date. Look at the dates of the most recent ratings. Ratings that are more recent are generally more reliable.
It is also important to note that somebody may be more likely to leave a rating and review if they have had a negative experience, as it provides them with an opportunity for their voice to be heard.
If a doctor has mostly negative ratings, it does not always mean that everybody has had a bad experience. It is possible that those with a positive experience have not felt the need to leave a review.
It is best to not rely on online ratings alone to determine which doctor is right for you, but they can be useful in helping guide your decision.
In some cases, doctors may respond to online ratings.
A 2024 study looked at how negative online reviews and doctors’ replies might influence patient choices. It found that, when doctors replied to reviews, it helped reduce the impact of negative reviews.
It can be helpful to read doctors’ replies to reviews to gain more context about the criticism. It can also be useful to see if doctors are open to feedback in situations where criticism is warranted.
There are some red flags to look out for with online doctor ratings.
Pay attention to whether ratings have occurred steadily over time or if there has been a sudden influx of ratings. Many negative reviews in a short space of time could indicate that not every experience is genuine.
For example, a person on social media could mention a negative experience with a specific doctor or facility, and their online followers could show their support by leaving negative reviews. These would not reflect their own experiences.
Similarly, if many 5-star reviews are left after a negative review, these may not be based on genuine experiences.
Some doctors also encourage reviews from satisfied patients only, and they may spend more time doing this following a negative review to help improve their overall rating.
Look out for reviews that appear to be personal attacks toward the doctor. They will usually include a lot of emotional language, and they may mention information about the doctor that is not relevant to the professional service they have provided.
While these reviews may be based on genuinely negative experiences, it is important to remember that such reviews are often driven by heightened emotions, and it is also usually not possible to verify the source.
There is no specific number of reviews that would make a rating trustworthy.
Instead, focus on whether people have left reviews and ratings steadily over time, or if many have been left at once. Ratings that have appeared gradually may be more reliable than a sudden influx of ratings, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
When looking at doctor rating websites, pay attention to sites that verify patient visits.
Examples include Zocdoc and our sister company Healthgrades.
Doctors pay a fee to list their profiles on Zocdoc. The site has a verification process and checks doctors’ medical licenses.
When looking at ratings and reviews, Zocdoc allows you to filter by condition, procedure, doctor, and location
Healthgrades includes information from sources such as patient satisfaction surveys and reviews.
You can also filter on Healthgrades by condition, procedure, doctor, and location.
Both Zocdoc and Healthgrades utilize a 5-star rating scale, with 5 being the highest rating.
It is best to consult multiple doctor rating websites for the most accurate overview.
Healthgrades is owned by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.
Online doctor ratings and reviews can help you decide on the right medical professional for you. Patients can provide honest and up-to-date feedback based on their individual circumstances.
However, online ratings may not accurately represent a doctor’s skills. They may also be exaggerated or driven by emotion, with people more likely to leave reviews based on negative rather than positive experiences.
You can use online doctor ratings as a tool to help you decide on the right doctor for you, but it is best to not rely on them solely. Choose doctor rating websites that verify patient visits.