Vitals.com, which offers information on 830,000 physicians nationwide, receives more than 50,000 reviews per month. To protect physicians who receive negative comments, the website tracks IP addresses and uses software that detects similarities in writing patterns to identify postings that are not genuine. “We take it into account if we believe the review is motivated by malice or things other than an honest review of the doctor,” said Vitals CEO Mitch Rothschild. Physicians are also allowed to respond and refute reviews, he said.
On HealthGrades.com, an independent healthcare ratings company, reviewers are required to certify that the physician they are rating has recently treated them before they can complete a survey. “HealthGrades does track patient survey activity and will flag and investigate any suspicious behavior,” said Arshad Rahim, MD, vice president of accelerated clinical excellence.
Sean Smith, an attorney with Atlanta-based law firm Taylor English, said that the most effective approach for a physician receiving negative reviews is to post a rebuttal — as long as the physician is careful not to reveal personal patient information online.
“If doctors try to respond too aggressively, they can run into to HIPAA problems if they divulge information that could identify a particular patient,” said Mr. Smith. “This is one area where doctors do need to be careful.”