Study: 96 Percent of Online Complaints About Doctors Fault Customer Service, Not Quality of Care

Findings published in Journal of Medical Practice Management reveal that among 35K doctor reviews, poor communications is patients’ chief frustration

DENVER, April 25, 2016 – An analysis of nearly 35,000 online reviews of doctors nationwide has found that customer service – not physicians’ medical expertise and clinical skill – is the overwhelming reason patients complain about their healthcare experiences on the Internet.

The study published in the current issue of the Journal of Medical Practice Management reveals that only 1 in 25 patients rating their healthcare providers with two stars or fewer is unhappy with his or her physical examination, diagnosis, treatment, surgery or health outcome.

The other 96 percent of patient complaints cite poor communications, disorganization and excessive delays in seeing a physician as the cause for dissatisfaction.

“The nearly unanimous consensus is that in terms of impact on patient satisfaction, the waiting room trumps the exam room,” said Ron Harman King, co-author of the JMPM article and CEO of Vanguard Communications, a marketing and public relations firm for specialty medical practices.

“Our study uncovered a torrent of patient allegations of doctors running behind schedule, excessive waiting time to see a provider, billing problems, indifferent staff, and doctors’ bedside manners,” King said. “Yet hardly anyone had a beef with the quality of healthcare received.”

The absence of dissatisfaction with doctor skills per se means practices should be able to improve online reviews comparatively easily, King added. “Generally, it’s far simpler to fix problems at the front desk or physician scheduling than to deal with allegations of inadequate medical skills. Of course, this requires a commitment from doctors to stick to schedules, allowing for only occasional urgencies that interrupt a physician’s day.”

Researchers analyzed online reviews of doctors, medical practices, clinics and hospitals coast to coast, identifying and classifying words patients used in describing their experiences.

The analysis identified the most common phrases associated with each star-level rating, as reviewers are generally able to rate their experiences on a scale of one to five stars.

Forty percent of the five-star reviews complimented doctors on their bedside manners, while 28 percent complimented the staff in clinics and hospitals.

Among the unhappiest patients, 53 percent cite communications frustrations, using descriptions such as “to get an appointment…” and “I was told that…”

Co-authoring the study were King; Jonathan Stanley, technology director at Vanguard; and Neil Baum, M.D., a New Orleans urologist and author of nine books on medical practice management and marketing. More details are available at VanguardCommunications.net/patient-complaints.

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