If you need a new general practitioner, you should check out ratings
before you choose one. These are typically easy to find online, and are
usually either free or inexpensive. Before you choose one, check out at
least one doctor rating website to find out what other people think of
the practitioner you are considering.

If you do not have a particular person in mind, you can browse a doctor
rating site to find a few who are close to you. You can typically put
your city into the search feature of the site, getting a list of several
doctors near you. Some websites allow you to sort the list depending on
the practice area you are most interested in, but if not, you can
peruse the list, clicking on the practitioners who specialize in the
field you need.

Of course, if you have someone in mind already, you can also usually put
their name into the doctor rating site that you have chosen. Read up on
what others have said about the person in question, and pay attention
to their overall ratings. If they are also broken down by category,
check out each one. For example, one practitioner might be great at
diagnosing quickly, but may have a bad bedside manner, while another one
might get great ratings on their personality, but they have limited
experience. Most people will rate doctors on individual factors if
possible, allowing you to know whether the practitioner you are
considering is friendly, experienced, always on time, and any other
details.

Some doctor rating websites also feature detailed reviews, helping you
get a better idea of the practitioner that you have in mind. This is
especially helpful since it allows people to explain why they have
posted particularly high or low ratings, and you can decide if they will
have any bearing on your choice. For instance, if someone gives low
ratings to a doctor due to insurance issues with their medical office,
you may not find this to be a problem if you plan to pay out of pocket
anyway.

Clearly, going to such a website can be a good idea when it comes to
browsing doctors. While visiting the site of the medical office itself
is also a good idea, it does not usually let you know about the
experiences of other patients. Once you get the facts on the person you
are considering, such as education, years of experience, and services
offered, it is time to listen to actual past and current patients have
been treated by him or her.

Article Tags:
Doctor Rating Websites, Doctor Rating, Rating Websites

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A doctor
rating is something you may have to take with a grain of
salt, but it is much better to have the information then to walk into a
situation blindly. For more information visit: http://www.angieslist.com/.