Online ratings of orthopedic surgeons: analysis of 2185 reviews.

Online ratings of orthopedic surgeons have not been studied. We conducted a study to evaluate the online ratings of orthopedic surgeons in a major metropolitan region, to identify trends in ratings of orthopedic surgeons, and to analyze ratings to identify variables of significance in determining overall rating. Website traffic was used to identify the 8 busiest physician rating websites: AngiesList.com, EverydayHealth.com, Thirdage.com, Yelp.com, HealthGrades.com, Vitals.com, UCompareHealthcare.com, and RateMDs.com. These websites were consulted for data regarding orthopedic surgeons in a major metropolitan region with a population of 1.3 million in September 2012. Surgeon ratings were scaled from 0 to 100 for homogeneity. Of the 8 websites considered, 4 were excluded because of inaccessible or unreliable data. The qualifying sites were HealthGrades.com, Vitals.com, UCompareHealthcare.com, and RateMDs.com, with 2185 reviews total. Across these websites, mean overall rating of orthopedic surgeons was 81.8 (between 100, definitely recommend, and 80, mostly recommend). Five variables were statistically significant (Ps < .01) for higher ratings: ease of scheduling, time spent with patient, wait time, surgeon proficiency/knowledge, and bedside manner.