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The Influence of Physician-Rating Websites on a Patients' Physician Preference
Ajith Malige, BS; Kristofer S. Matullo, MD
St. Luke's University Hospital & Health Network, Bethlehem, PA
Introduction: Physician-rating websites (PRWs), which are quickly growing in number and popularity, are designed to publically report physician quality information while bringing forth a sense of transparency, holding physicians responsible for their quality of care and decision making. This study looks to identify the influence physician-rating websites have on a patient’s choice of orthopaedic surgeon while stratifying these trends by various demographic characteristics. We hope this information will aid orthopaedic surgeons in better reaching out to their patient population while furthering their own practice.
Materials and Methods: This survey-based study was conducted in a suburban Orthopaedic Surgery Department outpatient setting. All patients between the ages of 18 to 89 years who presented for an appointment with their hand surgeon were asked to fill out our survey. Survey questions aimed to identify patient demographic characteristics, the various channels a patient used to inquire about and choose their hand surgeon, a patient’s maximum tolerated appointment wait time, and whether patients are comfortable with doctors-in-training participating in their care.
Results: Of the 104 patients surveyed, 52 (50.0%) were between the ages of 51 and 70, 63 (60.6%) were female, and 87 (83.8%) were Caucasian. Most of our patient population only received a GED or high school diploma (n=38, 36.5%), report being currently employed (n=51, 49.0%), and currently own private health insurance (n=62, 59.6%). 98% of patients (n=102) answered that their physician’s reputation is important to them. 78 patients (75.0%) reported that they heard about their hand surgeon through another physician’s referral. 23 patients (22.1%) reported hearing about their hand surgeon through family and friend referrals. 66 patients (63.5%) noted that other physician referrals were most trustworthy. 24 patients (23.1%) noted that family or friend referrals are most trustworthy, while only 4 patients (3.8%) noted online search engine referrals as most trustworthy. Only 10 patients (3.8%) admitted to consulting a physician rating website to research the reputation of their hand surgeon, while 89 patients (85.6%) noted that they have never posted a physician rating online.
Conclusion: Despite increases in information exchange platforms and internet usage, physician rating websites are not commonly used by orthopaedic hand patients to exchange information about or choose their desired hand surgeon. Patients still primarily rely on physician referrals as well as word of mouth from family and friends to make choices about their orthopaedic hand surgeon.
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