Will RateMDs.com be used for credentialing?

in Uncategorized | 11 responses

Scary thought, since anonymous patients can say anything about you – whether it’s true or not. (via Notes from Dr. RW)

Comments

Anonymous
I read some of the negative comments. Some appear to have been written by disgruntled, even crazy-sounding patients. Others appear to be angry about office staff issues and insurance-related problems. One gave a doctor a negative rating because she got charged for a last-minute cancellation. I think that anonymous complaints just invite defamation with absolutely no accountability.
They also provide no opportunity to rebut. It does not make it even possible for someone with a complaint to defend themselves.
At least Epinions, which applies to consumer products, requires some form of rater identification. It also offers an opportunity for other readers to rate the rater–with comments on validity, completeness, accuracy and fairness. It would seem to me that any credible online rating board for professionals should do the same.
There are available avenues for legitimate complaints about doctors already in place. This seems to be nothing more than a bulletin board for defamation.
Anonymous
I think it is great. I just put in five favorable comments for myself
JK
I took a look at the site and saw a former doctor of mine. I went to him for about a year and a half, finally leaving after my primary care doctor and I both came to the conclusion that his line of treatment was making my overall condition worse. I would have changed specialists soon, but I have a limited number of choices under my insurance plan.
(After switching doctors, I found out that a coworker and a friend’s wife had went to him and had similar negative experiences.)
The negative rating for him and the comments were, if anything, generous. His “bedside manner”, his communication skills, and his technical skills were all lacking.
I say good for good for rateMDs.com. I wish that I had checked them first.
Of course, you have to take what you read there with a grain of salt, like any other opinions. And while an eopinions.com or a slashdot style moderation system would be nice, this is better than nothing.
Anonymous
JK – your an idiot. That’s because you select a PCP by opening an HMO directoy and throwing a dart. There are many other more accraute and reliable ways to determine the quality of a PCP, than some blind open forum where anyone can say thing about any without regard for the facts. Take some initiative in your healthcare. Sounds like you jsut using a lazy persons approach to choosing a good doctor, a unqualified website. This isn’t a toaster, this is your doctor.
WilliamManginoMD
What ever gave you the impression that credentialling committee’s were always fair and unbiased.
It’s often about economics. personality disagreements. greed. avarice. prejudice and lack of courage.
Halstead couldn’t get credentialled today at Johns Hopkins.
Anonymous
A question for anonymous 12:17 who said, “There are many other more accraute and reliable ways to determine the quality of a PCP.”
I don’t suppose you’d care to elaborate on these ways, would you? I wouldn’t trust a website like rateMD, but having moved to a new area where I know no one, I have no idea of the best way to locate a new PCP, other than checking the board certifications of the doctors listed by my insurance company. Perhaps I am an idiot, but I’m not lazy; I would really like to know the best way to go about it.
Anonymous
social networks:
NPR blurb
http://tinyurl.com/qe2l3
Effect of Word of Mouth on Sales
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=432481
Measuring Prices and Price Competition Online
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=319701
these studies are a look at online consumer communities. they characterize the reviewer behavior on two book review sites (amazon/borders). interestingly, among their findings, the effect of negative reviews, motivations, impact, and authenticity. findings r: readers respond to negative reviews (neg review more impact), neg review carry authencity due to overhead (time/effort) associated with writing such a review…
so yeah, anonymous consumer driven online community- good idea !
Yeah! go ratemd !
—————-
the significant other (s/o) was gauged (mole removal) literally from a real “reputable doc” (ie downtown, high-end, specialist). the lack of care/greed was appaling, and now my s/o is going to have to go see another doc… (but this time we’re armed with ratemd, have more information to go on, then board certs OR disciplinary action (highly suspect) OR shiny uptown office
ps that doc had carried neg. ratings on ratemd in the past. In posting a neg. comment (which took time/effort), we hope to prevent another person from that doc’s incompetence, and such is the spirit of the site… helping the community find good docs/ avoid poor ones
artificial scarcity:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-02-doctor-shortage_x.htm
Unfortunately, the deliberate doctor shortage, allows docs to operate with zero consumer market pressure. But sites like ratemd do help (albeit marginally)
Finally, given the elite (cartel) status of the medical profession, and the associated deep pockets/political association, ratemd comes backed by the best- EFF (electronic freedom foundation). ie in case some of u docs think the site can be taken down, silenced, or artificially made scarce, good luck- the EFF comes equipped with sharp teeth…
now just have to figure out personalized medicine (genomic expression) so we dont have to see corrupt docs for anything other than severe trauma
(yeah, go science!)
Anonymous
I can understand that a lot of doctors would be concerned about a site that allowed patients or even even malicious saboteurs to simply log on anonymously and fire off a negative barrage at them. This kind of site is important, though, and I think there has to be some mechanism for patients who’ve been harmed by bad doctors to get the word out to everyone else, and a site which didn’t allow anonymity would deter a lot of legitimate complaints for fear of frivolous libel suits.
The corollary problem of course is that doctors frequently bad mouth their patients with an equal degree of anonymity, protected by the “white wall” where a doctor would generally not tell a patient that another doctor had said something slanderous about him. And while a doctor’s business might take a slight hit from a bad review from RateMD or similar sites, when for example a chronic pain patient finds himself rated as “last weeks drug seeker,” to use Dr. RW’s phrase, it can be an effective blacklisting resulting in his being unable to get his pain treated by *any* local doctor. This in turn creates a desperation that will reinforce the perception that he is a drug seeker. It can amount to a de facto sentence of torture which can be hard if not impossible to escape, and yet doctors will slander a patient like this, even writing the offensive comments in the patient’s charts, with no more thought than they would squashing a bug. They can destroy the patient’s credit rating if he refuses to pay as there is little a patient can do to escape the financial liability incurred after seeing a doctor like this, and our libel laws are too weak to provide much of a deterrent. The power differential between a doctor and his patient is enormous and many patients are simply too intimidated by that to stand up against a bad doctor.
So something like RateMD where patients can report a doctor’s negative behavior in a way that is safe to the patient is an absolute must. It isn’t entirely fair to good doctors who may be hurt by a genuinely contentious patient, but the other side of the coin is not exactly fair either and the consequences of the latter can be existential in nature, and not just the loss of revenue.
Anonymous
The issue of libel should extend to anyone, not just doctors. The problem with any site like this one is that there is absolutely no arbiter. Are there alternatives? Sure, the state medical board, the BBB, the all-too available malpractice bar, if the problem warrants it. And in the end, there is the power of the purse–take your business elsewhere. But unlike word-of-mouth, where there is at least informal attribution, with this kind of site, there is nothing, no accountability, no need to provide any sort of evidence to back up a malicious statement, and with the power of search engine technology, the message carries the effect of mass media. Sorry, but if you are going to slam someone in print, you ought to have to put your name to it. And those who create outlets like rateMD, if they know of its potential for misuse with no accountability and controls, they ought to be held liable for damages.
If you are going to print or post in the mass media things that are potentially harmful, standards of fairness and accuracy ought to apply. Just because you are mad at your doctor doesn’t give you a license to defame him or her.
Anonymous
Why would you ASS-U-ME that someone would want to lie about bad doctors.??…because thats what youve been told…that patients dont know anything and are child like so they have no right to an opinion…IS THAT IT.The medical industry abused my son and MURDERED my grandmother.People would be wise to not allow their children to stay alone at night in childrens hospitals.I wrote a NINE page letter of complaint to BCCH…I witnessed a baby boy being neglected by the nurses,newborns dont belong in baby swings for days on end.Those swings are intended for babies who can hold their heads up.My own baby was neglected,after not changing his diapers for up to 8 hours the idiots couldnt diagnose a yeast infection that was eating his flesh,then they acted like I was poisoning him when I put probiotics in his bottle.It was a difficult birth I wasnt able to be with him immediately.I was young and obviously dumb enough to believe that a hospital would care for my baby.Then when I get there I was filled in by other parents what went on.Then I saw for myself the abuse that goes on. Dont try to tell me that nurses are over worked.BULLCRAP.They spent 40% of their time yapping at the nurses station.I saw a little girl get her head shaved for an IV because the nurse wanted to go on her break,she couldnt be bothered to spend an extra 5 minutes trying to put it elsewhere.They did this without the parents permission.I filled them in the next day.That nurse got reamed out good.Guess what the CEO told me about everything I had experienced.”It must have been your imagination”.THIS is why we need ratemd…to expose the LIES,MURDER and ABUSE that goes on and gets covered up because doctors are members of the old boys club and think theyre untouchable… The only doctors who dont like ratemd are the bad ones.
“There are available avenues for legitimate complaints about doctors already in place.”BULL SHIT,YOU GUYS COVER FOR ONE ANOTHER.DOCTORS WILL ALWAYS FIND A MEANS TO JUSTIFY INCOMPETENCE.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE DOCTORS IN MY CITY WITH BAD RATINGS…ITS ALL TRUE.WORD GETS AROUND.Ratemd is a means for newcomers to cities to avoid bad doctors.The good doctors have nothing to worry about.Most people are not interrested in lying about doctors.
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“One gave a doctor a negative rating because she got charged for a last-minute cancellation. “
GOOD-MABE ITS TIME TO START CHARGING DOCTORS FOR WASTING OUR TIME. ITS NOT RARE FOR PATIENTS TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN HOUR OR MORE.DOCTORS AND THEIR TIME IS MORE IMPORTANT so that makes it okay to hold us up.Not a chance…THEY MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY AS IT IS.
Ive had to wait for 45 minutes while the doctor was making realestate deals.
PEOPLE ARENT STUPID AND QUITE FRANKLY WERE GETTING TIRED OF CONDESCENDING ASSHOLES WHO THINK THEY KNOW IT ALL AND BRUSH OFF LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS.DOCTORS HAVE BECOME NOTHING MORE THAN LEGALISED DRUG PUSHERS AND ITS TIME FOR THE PEOPLE TO DEMAND RESPECT.
FYI-there is no such thing as “CHEMICAL IMBALLANCE”.THERE IS NO TEST FOR CHEMICAL IMBALLANCE,ITS A THEORY INVENTED BY THE MULTIBILLION DOLLAR A YEAR DRUG INDUSTRY,THERE IS NOTHING TO PROVE IT EXISTS.YET DOCTORS ARE PUMPING OUT HAPPY PILL PRESCRIPTIONS BY THE MILLIONS AND TELLING PEOPLE THAT FIBROMYALGIA DOESNT EXIST BECAUSE THERES NO TEST.PEOPLE ARE BEING USED AS LAB RATS.Now theres pills for restless leg syndrome!! GIMME A BREAK-get off your ass and go for a walk-SYNDROME CURED with no drugs that have a list of side effects 5 miles long.
WHY IS IT THE VACCINES ARE TOUTED TO BE SO SAFE YET THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO RELEASE THE INGREDIENTS LIST.
MOST DOCTORS DONT EVEN KNOW WHATS IN VACCINES.YET THEY TRY TO TELL US THAT THEYRE SAFE.THERE IS NO WORD FOR SIDS IN COUNTRIES THAT DONT VACCINATE.
THANKFULLY THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT MAKES IT MANDATORY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INFORMED.
CHEMICAL COCKTAIL ANYONE:
How about some agricultural fungicide.
Formaldehyde {DEEMED TOXIC AND CARCINOGENIC AT ANY LEVEL}
aluminum {Neurological problems}
antibiotics
nailpolish remover
Latex {latex allergies}
aluminum hydroxide
aluminum phosphate
ammonium sulfate
amphotericin B
animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain,
dog kidney, monkey kidney,
chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg
calf (bovine) serum
betapropiolactone
fetal bovine serum
formalin
gelatin
glycerol
human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue)
hydrolized gelatin
monosodium glutamate (MSG)
neomycin
neomycin sulfate
phenol red indicator
phenoxyethanol (antifreeze)
potassium diphosphate
potassium monophosphate
polymyxin B
polysorbate 20
polysorbate 80
porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein
residual MRC5 proteins
sorbitol
sucrose
thimerosal (mercury)
tri(n)butylphosphate,
VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells
washed sheep red blood cells
Vaccination also leads to the overuse of antibiotics and more disease. Don’t forget vaccination started AIDS, a huge industry now.] “There is always money to be made in developing drugs to try to counteract the problems too much vaccination creates.”—[NVIC May 2006] $1 Billion In Flu Vaccine Contracts USA 11 million—Food allergies 9 million children under 18 have been diagnosed with asthma 3 million children ….. learning disabled 4 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD 206,000 Americans under the age of 20 have type 1 diabetes….. 1 in 400 to 500 American children and adolescents are now diabetic. 300,000 American children have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis “One sells the vaccines. The other then provides the arsenal of medications to respond to the numerous complications that follow…..Vaccination stimulates the immune system, the body’s defence mechanism. Repeated vaccination exhausts the immune system. It gives a false sense of security and, in doing so, it opens the door wide to all kinds of illnesses.”—–Guylaine Lanctot, M.D. “The number of American children suffering from life threatening peanut allergies has doubled in the past five years and the number of Americans with food allergies has risen from 6 million to 11 million. This runs parallel with the doubling of asthma, learning disabilities, ADHD; the tripling of diabetes and a 200 to 7,000 percent increase in autism in every state in the U.S. during the past 20 years. As more and more vaccines are mandated to prevent more and more infectious diseases in early childhood, more and more Americans are stuck on sick. So the pharmaceutical industry produces drugs and vaccines that medical doctors sell to patients to try to “cure” the chronic illness that vaccines and suppression of all infectious disease helped to cause in the first place.
SCUSE ME I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A REAL DOCTOR…MY NATURAPATH.ITS THANKS TO BAD DOCTORS THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING DRIVEN AWAY.
Dr. Antonio Rambaldi
Check out the futuristic credentials at
http://www.iratemds.com