Internet reviews about doctors: threat or opportunity?

This is an article which I wrote for the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics. This was a comment on the paper, Daniel Strech. Ethical principles for physician rating sites. J Med Internet Res. 2011;13(4):e113). doi:10.2196/jmir.1899 For most doctors (though perhaps not for the readers of this journal), the field of medical ethics remains an abstract subject which is of interest only to academics. However, ethics is applied to the resolution of conflicts in real life. This interesting paper uses the timeless principles of medical ethics to help to resolve a very modern conflict: how can we make sure that physician rating sites serve a useful purpose without causing harm? The introduction of the Internet has already changed the way most of us find information, make phone calls overseas, keep up with the news, stay in contact with our friends, book airline tickets, etc. It has already had a major impact on the doctor-patient relationship in the United States, and it is just a matter of time before it  plays an equally important role in the lives of Indian doctors and patients. While the technology has many benefits, it creates conflicts as well, because it gives patients a much bigger say in their own medical care – a concept most doctors feel threatened by, because it is so unfamiliar and new. One of the controversial areas is the sprouting of physician rating sites, which allow patients to rate, comment on, and discuss doctors' performance online, visi...
Source: The Patient's Doctor - Category: Obstetricians and Gynecologists Tags: reviews malpani reviews Dr Malpani complaints Source Type: blogs