Signing Away Your Right to Rate Your Doctor Online

Have you ever consulted Angie’s List before hiring a contractor or an electrician? Was it helpful? Apparently, some doctors’ offices are now requiring that patients sign a form saying they will not post comments about their physician on websites. People like Angie’s List co-founder Angie Hicks are protesting, calling these waivers “gag orders.”(Angie Hicks - Medical Gag Orders)

I understand the discomfort some doctors have with on-line rating sites. We’ve all seen the effect of a little anonymity and an easily accessible “post” button. Goodbye superego. Hello snarky, mean, inappropriate and sometimes downright cruel commentary. Despite the occasional abuses, I do think that these sites can be very helpful for patients. Yes, comments often have more to do with demeanor than diagnostic skill; promptness rather than pharmacological expertise. But as a patient, I do want a doctor with a good bedside manner. And if patient after patient complains about Doctor X’s listening skills or Doctor Y’s lack of empathy, I want to know.

If a doctor asked me to sign a form forfeiting my right to rate him or her online, I would think twice about seeing that doctor. What about you?