A communication study of more than 28,000 online reviews of "doctors" and "physicians" — as defined by Yelp and its users, who include nonphysicians in these categories —revealed that "patients complain online four times as often about a medical practice's customer service — such a receptionists' cordiality and doctors' bedside manners — than about a doctor's ability to heal," said Ron Harman King of Vanguard Communications, the firm that conducted the research.
The study also found a correlation between a physician's or practitioner's level of education or training and patient satisfaction: Generally as the level of education or training increases, patient satisfaction decreases. Consumers, it seems, are fondest of naturopaths, audiologists, oncologists, and osteopathic physicians, and are least satisfied with psychiatrists, dermatologists, orthopedists, and family doctors.
While one could speculate on many reasons for the latter finding — for example, Vanguard suggests it could be that highly trained physicians take on more difficult cases — reasons for customer service complaints are not so hard to identify. According to various studies and experts, among patients' top concerns are long wait times, sometimes in uncomfortable and/or dull waiting rooms, and with no apologies for the wait; doctors who don't listen, seem to rush through exams, or are dismissive of patient concerns; having to call the office, sometimes several times, for test results; and disrespectful or impersonal staff.
Physicians and staff should remember that patients' every interaction with a practice from appointment call to follow-up informs their perception of it — and what they will say about it online. As for the exam itself, a 2013 study published in the Journal of Participatory Medicine found patients view physicians who make a lot of eye contact as more likeable and empathetic. "Social touching," such as a handshake or pat on the back also earned physicians higher empathy scores in the study, if kept to no more than three instances during a visit. Total length of visit, not surprisingly, also increased the scores.
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Last Updated On
September 15, 2022
Originally Published On
May 13, 2015