Understanding Your Online Ratings: A Methodological Analysis Using Urogynecologists in the United States

Objective
The influence of online physician ratings is growing, yet their interpretation remains difficult. Our aim was to analyze the online content of urogynecologists on 1 website to transform these ratings into practical tools for care improvement.
Methods
This cross-sectional analysis studied the ratings and reviews of every board-certified urogynecologist listed on Healthgrades.com. The ratio of 5:1 ratings was compared between various physician characteristics and practice qualities. Four investigators classified narrative reviews into one or more of the following themes: about the (1) physician, (2) clinical outcomes, (3) and/or staff. The content of the narrative reviews was analyzed, and word clouds were created to understand the primary motivators behind ratings.
Results
In February 2018, the Healthgrades pages for 689 urogynecologists were evaluated, and 523 physicians were included in the study. Higher 5:1 ratios were found among men versus women (4.0 vs 3.0; P

Source: Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery - February 26, 2019 Category: OBGYN Tags: AUGS Special Issue Submissions Source Type: research