Last year I wrote about the Zagat Survey for physician ratings: http://balancedphysician.wordpress.com/category/patient-service/

The Zagat Survey was designed to allow consumers to rate physicians based on 4 criteria: trust, communication, availability and environment. Patients are also allowed to leave comments.

Today I read that many doctors – including those in California, Connecticut and North Carolina, where the Zagat-WellPoint project was first introduced – voiced criticism.
William Handelman, president of the Connecticut State Medical Society said “It is curious that they would go to a company that had no experience in health care to try to find out how good a doctor is,” adding, “It certainly is very subjective.” Ronald Thurston, a psychiatrist, remarked, “Are patients the best judges of health care?

Patients notoriously ignore their doctor’s advice to eat well and exercise. Often they quit taking their pills when they’re feeling better. They usually don’t understand the technologies and skills needed for treatment.”

Patients rate their physicians typically based on 2 criteria: their clinical skills and their interpersonal skills. A rating such as the Zagat Survey has less to do with the quality of the doctor’s clinical skills and the effectiveness of care but it allows patient members to rank physicians based on their interpersonal skills. In other words, it has something to do with the customer service experience of healthcare.

How long did I have to sit in the waiting room?

Did the staff communicate with me (the patient) when the doctor was behind schedule?

Did the physician explain my disease in words and in a manner that I understood?

Did the physician take his / her time to hear me out?

Contrary to Ronald Thurston’s remarks, I believe that patients are the best judges of health care because they are the once who decide whether they come back to see their doctor again or not.

Physicians who realize that their interpersonal skills (whether it is the communication skills of the staff or of the physician) are part of their healthcare package will most likely spend less money on practice marketing or patient retention.

Therefore I recommend physicians who are not part of this Zagat Survey to include a similar patient satisfaction survey in their practice to improve the practice efficiency and patient retention.
Iris Grimm
www.BalancedPhysician.com