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Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie’s List – where consumers go to find the best local service in more than 400 service categories.

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Doctor reviews featured on Fox News
Be careful what you sign at the doctor's office
Home warranty companies top most complained about list
Medical gag orders
Medical gag order coverage

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Doctor reviews featured on Fox News

Posted: 8/28/2009 1:54:07 PM By Angie | 23 comments


I was in New York earlier this week and I stopped by Fox News to talk about medical gag orders. I've been strongly opposing these--and any other attempt to stifle free speech--since they started appearing.

They aired the interview this morning (check out the video below!), and this afternoon I found a great post on Bankaholic that perfectly illustrates why doctor reviews are essential for consumers.





Comments
Danny
Wow, you have the worst, most irritating ads I've seen on TV for quite awhile. Why don't you try hiring a professional ad agency instead of sketching these out on a napkin at lunchtime?
8/31/2010 6:16:21 PM
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linda
I think there needs to be an angies list for every state especially where I live in duncan oklahoma area
8/12/2010 9:20:47 PM
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Margaret
It is truly important to share what has happened so that others can just be aware of serious errors in judgement that doctors do make. My husband had survived a transplant but when medication he was prescribed for rejection started causing serious side effects, I begged the doctor to change it. He refused and two months later my husband had multiple strokes and is now permanently brain damaged. The best is the doctor cannot be sued as he worked for a state hospital and you need to file within 90days. Not something you are thinking about while your loved one is fighting for their life!!!
6/17/2010 8:15:17 AM
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Lucy
This is crazy. How is it that one can research and find competent mechanics, painters, gardeners,teachers, financial advisors, electricians etc. But when it comes to our health or health of a loved one, the same doesn't apply. One cannot research the Dr. Oh yes, we can find out some innocuous information on the internet,but nothing about the compentency and information that tells about doctors performance.
My husband was sickly for years and there were many times that we had no way to make a better choice. I think that's outrageous that that kind of information is not available to general public.
5/27/2010 8:50:06 PM
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Carol Spicer
I had requested my mammogram results be sent to my PCP and my GYN last October. I have had 3 surgeries as a result and start radiation next week. I am still waiting to hear from the GYN that I had an abnormal mammo. This is why others need to be warned. There is no excuse for negligence like this.
1/27/2010 6:41:56 PM
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Diana Spears
I expressed a consern about a RX given to me by my doctor and he dismissed me as a patient. He said I question his intelligence. It is my life and I really want to take part in my health. How do I go about reporting him to the clinic manager with out sounding like I am crazy.
1/12/2010 9:45:10 AM
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JAO
I think people deserve to hear what people have actually endured at the hands of physicians. If I had known of other parents' negative experiences with a certain pediatrician, it certainly would have saved us a lot of problems.

Our pediatrician almost allowed our then-three-year-old son to die because he refused to take rotovirus seriously, and our little guy became seriously dehydrated despite our best efforts with pedialyte, popsicles, etc. I took him to the pediatrician's office four times in three days, and by the fourth visit, when our little boy could no longer stand on his own, the pediatrician was aggravated with me and told me I was "overreacting". We left there for our local nationally-reknowned Children's Hospital and they whisked our baby back to treatment and after checking his electrolyte levels, told us that if we had waited any longer at all, his heart may have simply stopped. They admitted him and kept him for four days. On the third day, the pediatrician (who was making his rounds, I guess) caught sight of us and stepped into the room and hissed at me, "What are you doing here?" I said, "Look, they've admitted the child because you nearly allowed him to die with your incompetence". Needless to say, we never took any of our children to him again.

However, I know many people in our small town that take their children to this man. I have heard of missed cancer diagnoses and all kinds of other problems. Perhaps if there was a national database of people's experiences, everybody could be more informed.

If a physician does a good job, just like any other businessperson, he/she should have nothing to fear.
12/24/2009 11:11:04 AM
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dentist seattle
Angie has the right idea!
12/23/2009 12:07:26 AM
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RC
I agree with Angie on this. Even if people bash a doctor's office or the service, consumers benefit from the weight or volume of those complaints. If a doctor has one or two complaints, those might be able to be written off. But if they have a high number of complaints, that could help people make a decision. I don't think Dr. Seagall is looking at the 'worst of the internet', which is like reading all the anonymous posts and avatar-hidden commentary. Amazon has a good model for providing product review that is very valuable.
10/22/2009 12:06:31 PM
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Linda Cranston
Hi Angie - I am fascinated with this site. It is something that is really needed. Do you ever hear anything regarding health scams over the internet?
10/19/2009 12:39:42 PM
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Elise Hafford
There are doctors who prescribe without knowing the patients complete history. There are radiologists who can't read mammograms. They should be held accountable.
10/12/2009 9:50:21 AM
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Anne
Why is evaluating a doctor any different from evaluating a plumber, or a veterinarian? They're all businesses with their livelihoods at stake. You might want to know different information, like: Did the doctor take their time? Do they ask a lot of questions? Do they listen to you? Do they follow up? Did you understand what they told you? Was the office clean? Was the staff friendly? Was the billing accurate and timely? Was the doctor friendly and personable, could you relate to them and were you comfortable talking to them? Were you helped by the visit? Was it easy to park or get there? Would you go again?
9/25/2009 5:29:29 PM
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JOHN
ITS NOT THE RUDE OR PLEASANT DOCTOR WE SHOULD BE CRITIQUING ITS THE BUMBLING IDIOTS THAT CONSTANTLY MISDIAGNOSE OR OVER PRESCRIBE. FOR EXAMPLE, MY WIFE TOOK MY TEN YEAR SON TO A PEDIATRICIAN, HERE IN CENTRAL JERSEY, FOR WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RASH ACROSS HIS BACK. THE DOCTOR TOLD MY WIFE MY SON HAD SHINGLES AND PRESCRIBED ZOVORAX. HE ASKED MY WIFE WHY LOOKED CONFUSED AND THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL HER THAT HE GIVES THAT TO ALL HIS ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH THE HERPES VIRUS. MY WIFE CALLED ME AND WE WENT DIRECTLY TO NEW YORK WHERE WE WERE TOLD (AFTER BLOOD WORK WAS DONE) IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO BUG BITES. ANOTHER STORY IS WHEN A DOCTOR TOLD MY WIFE THAT MY SON ( NOW 12) HAD A SLIGHT HERNIA AND WAS SCHEDULING HIM FOR SURGERY. ONCE AGAIN THIS WAS NOT THE CASE WENT TO NY WAS EXAMINED BY TWO DIFFERENT DOCTORS AND WAS TOLD THAT HE ABSOLUTELY HAD NO HERNIA. BOTTOM LINE IS WE ALL MUST BE MADE AWARE OF SUCH QUACKERY THAT GOES ON. REMEMBER NOT ALL DOCTORS FINISH MED SCHOOL WITH AN A OR B AVERAGE.
9/15/2009 11:34:18 AM
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Rene
During all the years I have worked with surgeons I can tell you it would be hard for a patient to determine how good a surgeon really is. I have worked with good surgeons who have a terrible bedside manner and good surgeons who have a wonderful bedside manner. Patients can not even assess how good a surgeon is by looking at their wounds, as most wounds are closed by the assistants to a surgeon.
This whole issue of whether doctors should receive feedback from patients online, reminds me of an incident I witnessed a number of years ago. I worked with a BRILLIANT surgeon, but he had an incredible stutter. One evening I was called in for an emergency. After the patient spoke with the surgeon, he refused to undergo surgery by this "incompetent stuttering fool". The nursing staff called in the back up surgeon who had the most incredible bedside manner, but was a really incompetent surgeon. The staff were all aghast, but nothing was said, as the patient has a right to choice - even if his/her information is based on something as superficial as a stutter. This case went without a hitch and this patient will never know how lucky his escape was - this bad surgeon (with the great bedside manner and no stutter) was struck from the medical register for incompetence and negligence a few years later.
9/8/2009 8:55:33 PM
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James K.
Doctors, like everyone else should be responsible for doing their best. If someone is afraid of having something negative said about them, maybe it would be a good idea to reevaluate the quality of care and service they are offering.
9/8/2009 5:31:27 PM
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Jennifer
If I join Angie's List it will be mainly to leave a review of my mother's Dr. He seemed like a fine Dr. while she was alive but it's the lack of communication I received after she died that has me upset. He hadn't seen her the 6 month's prior to her death and I certainly don't hold him responsible. But he acted negligently after her death by signing her death certificate, leaving it up to me to pay for an autopsy should I have chosen to do so. Considering she died two days before I found her, this was incredibly negligent on his part and on all accounts the county coroner should have taken care of it and would have had he not signed it. (The reason for this is apparently pressure to cut down on additional costs. ) He also ignored all of my calls (perhaps 7 or so of them?) leaving me with no answers as to why she died other than my best assumption. As a patient looking for a Dr, wouldn't you the consumer, like to know who this Dr. is so you can avoid him? His name is Victor, located in Sacramento, CA. This is a prime example of why patient reviews are essential.
9/8/2009 4:12:21 PM
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etta
I am seeking information about Dr. Guarnaschelli, a neuro surgeon in Louisville Ky. Please help
9/8/2009 2:56:54 PM
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P. Bourgeois
I am sorry, I think lots of times you may have to wait is because the doctor is taking time with his patients and really talking with them instead of hurrying them out the door. I know I have waited for my doctor for an hour and half and I wouldn't leave that wonderful man for anything, he doesn't hurry anyone he LISTENS.
9/8/2009 2:06:37 PM
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Rick
If doctors are rated by some of their patients (presumably with their real name by their rating), then doctors should be allowed to respond to that patient, especially if they are criticized by that patient. Ooops, there goes your privacy! Maybe the doctor can say they're running late because they just saved a life at the hospital and got back late to the office. Or maybe the patient 2 patients ahead of the complaining patient just was told they had cancer, or maybe a patient was an hour late and that made the doctor fall behind. There are so many reasons; I can't take an online rating seriously. If you want to know who the good doctors are, go ask your friend the nurse. Nurses see doctors in all settings. They know the good docs.
9/8/2009 12:52:50 PM
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Stephen Keaton
There is nothing wrong with customer/patient referral online as long as it is not anonymous. Let's hold everyone accountable for their own actions, in actions, good deeds and mistakes. I am a plumber and some people think I walk on water. Some people think I'm over priced. My reptation is something only I can give away by what I do or don't do. Keep Free speech no matter what forum is a good thing.
9/8/2009 11:22:24 AM
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Valerie Mascitti
I'm sorry, but I don't believe that non-medical professionals can be the best source in assessing the talents and skills of doctors. Plumbers, painters and carpenters do work that doesn't necessarily involve the risk to human life that picking a doctor entails. Patients are not always the best source of rating that skill. I believe Angie's List is being very reckless in entering this venue and I implore the site to reconsider its business plan. I know you will make money on these reviews, but you are being very irresponsible. Many friendly, well-dressed and charming doctors are nothing more than glib salesmen -- and many of them get very good reviews from their patients who don't know enough to know that the rude jerk down the hall is actually a better doctor and will be able to save their life, not be their best friend. I am not a doctor or a medical professional, but my life has been saved by some really rude physicians who've kept me waiting long hours while they save someone else who needs their help more than I do at that moment. Assessing the skills of a doctor takes real expertise, not surveys from patients. Please re-think your plan. Until you do, I won't be renewing my Angie's List membership. And I won't recommend Angie's list to my friends.
9/8/2009 10:45:21 AM
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Jill
Although necessary, I believe that MOST people would bash their doctors. Why can't we just stick to word of mouth, or go based on our primary care physician's suggestion?
I am a nurse and when patients seek medical care it is because they are sick, or injured. They are not in good spirits and their level of patience is not optimal. I have seen in writing more negative then positive comments. And being such a litigious society, I can understand why physicians feel they are up against a wall.
As a society, we need to write it, read it out loud, and ask ourselves if we would want someone to publicly bash us in the same manor. Would we want our lives ruined because of someone else's bad experience? Physicians are NOT God, they are humans that make mistakes. They are unintentional,but these men & women have feelings too. They also live with the outcome of things gone wrong.
9/8/2009 10:42:46 AM
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Orrin
Angie, i am a vetern, with a major back problem, my Dr. is Dr. eric feldman from the core institute in pheonix, AZ. GOD, where would you like me to begin, i am 2000 miles away from home, and was in need of pain medication that dr. feldman is pescribing to help me get through until we figure out the remady to fix my back, he has taken pain staking time to take care of me his patient, while i'm out of town, so that i can function until my return to AZ. he also has a care nurse, named JOYCE, good, what a woman, if i were to ever wish for anybody to hit the lotty of the super millions that is always offer, i would wish it for them, before myself, because they TRULY care about our well being, not just a number that passes through there door's, so if there is a possibility that YOU somehow can recognize them for there, HEARTS, as professionals as well as the caring DRS. they truly are, from 1 vetern you would make life, just a small pleasent 1 thank you for your time. maam
9/2/2009 1:08:04 PM
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