Doctor Reviews: Finding The Important Issues

You won’t have to look hard to find a plethora of doctor reviews on the internet. Since these sites started a few years ago, they have exploded in popularity, giving a voice to the patients themselves and limiting the influence of advertising, sponsorship, and insurance companies. Unfortunately, as you peruse these sites in search of quality opinions, you may find yourself let down.

The quantity is there, but the quality of the writing often leaves a bit to be desired. This is to be expected when you invite the general public to offer their opinions, however, and it does not take away from the effectiveness of the site’s mission. If you know what to look for, you can get the most out of your physician search.

Accessibility should be something you look for in your doctor reviews. If you are disabled, this is even more of a priority. You need to know that the physician’s office is fully accessible and easy to navigate in a wheelchair, or with whatever infirmity you happen to be suffering from. You also need to know everything you can about the location. This is important no matter who you are. You probably don’t want to drive across town to see a physician who isn’t any better than one who practices up the road. Look for those writers who mention these kinds of details.

Look for conflicts of interest. Sometimes you can simply tell when a writer is holding back. If you see doctor reviews that are glowing and effusive in their praise, you might as well move on to the next one. The same thing goes for those writers who can’t find anything good to say about their subject.

Certainly, even the worst physician has some good points and even the best one has some areas they could stand to improve. Look for the writers who understand this and have come to the blank page with seriousness and a dispassionate temperament. You want opinions, of course, but you don’t want them colored by outside influences or heat-of-the-moment rage.

Finally, look for doctor reviews that are detail oriented. The more details you can glean from a person’s writing, the better off you’ll be when it comes to making up your own mind. Just saying something is “bad” or “good” doesn’t really help you a whole lot. One person’s idea of what’s “bad” may not be yours. You may also notice that some people tend to write a detailed review that contradicts their end rating. Look for these discrepancies, read the details, and make up your own mind.