25 Oct Searching for a Doctor or Hospital. . .Whose Recommendation Can You Trust?

Though nothing is foolproof, friends and family members are usually the most trustworthy source for finding information about physicians and facilities. However, if you move to a new state and don’t know anyone yet, who can you trust?  Searching online may be the easiest route, but as most people know, not everything on the internet is credible or trustworthy!  It’s important to remember that many sites provide paid-for advertising that can help healthcare providers be easily found.  In addition, many of them include review apps to help encourage patient ratings and comments.

When searching for a doctor or hospital, there are a few reputable websites to consider. Each offers a different focus, whether it’s on patient reviews, credentials, or on hospital quality metrics:

1. Healthgrades
   This site allows you to search for physicians and hospitals based on location, specialty, and conditions. It provides patient reviews, ratings, and detailed information about doctors’ backgrounds, including education and board certifications.
   • Best for: Comprehensive unbiased doctor reviews and hospital ratings. Doctors and hospitals are generally automatically listed without a charge and reviews are unbiased and legitimate.
2. RateMDs
   RateMDs offers user-generated reviews of doctors, dentists, and other healthcare professionals. It also includes ratings for hospitals and medical facilities. Reviews are often straightforward, and patients can rate based on specific criteria like punctuality, helpfulness, and knowledge.
   • Best for: User-generated reviews and detailed patient experiences.
3. U.S. News Best Hospitals
   U.S. News ranks hospitals based on various performance metrics, such as survival rates, patient safety, and nurse staffing. The rankings are data-driven and designed to help patients make informed choices, particularly when dealing with complex medical issues.
   • Best for: Data-driven hospital rankings and specialty-specific reviews.
4. Vitals
   Vitals provides reviews on doctors and hospitals, focusing on quality of care, wait times, and bedside manner. It also offers detailed profiles of healthcare providers, including their specialties, education, and patient reviews.
   • Best for: Doctor reviews with a focus on patient experience and wait times.
5. Zocdoc
   Zocdoc is known for its easy-to-use interface that lets you book appointments with doctors and specialists online. It features reviews from patients who have seen the doctor, and it emphasizes convenience in finding and booking appointments.
   • However, physicians pay for their ZocDoc listings and ZocDoc will remove unfavorable reviews with less than 4 stars.

Each of these websites offers user-generated reviews and additional information about medical providers to help you make informed decisions.  But not all are trustworthy. In most cases, the best source for referrals are good, old-fashioned friends and family.