Physicians Concerned About Anonymous Comments on Web Sites That Rate Doctors’ Performance

Physicians appreciate patient opinions of the care that they provide, but they oppose rating Web sites that allow users to post anonymous comments about physicians because they can damage reputations and patient relationships, according to Nancy Nielsen, president-elect of the American Medical Association, USA Today reports. Nielsen said that one "disgruntled patient" can cause problems for a physician and that "doctors are not going to want to spend their time going into a (site) and correcting a smear."

Delia Chiaramonte, a family physician and patient adviser in Maryland, said that such Web sites -- which include HealthGrades, Vitals and Angie's List -- can place physicians on the defensive and damage patient relationships, both of which can reduce quality of care. However, according to their founders, the Web sites provide important information about physicians for patients. They add that the Web sites block multiple positive or negative comments about a physician by the same user (Painter, USA Today, 3/31).