New Canadian Doctor Rating Site

[mrmom2]

through their skills.

Why we visit a doctor is to be healed or to prevent illness is it not? Whether we think they are kind or rude or on time or late, I wonder if it really matters.

Good point .I see a doctor i just want to get better

 

[tracy]

Why we visit a doctor is to be healed or to prevent illness is it not? Whether we think they are kind or rude or on time or late, I wonder if it really matters.

I may be alone, but I do think that matters. You have to be open and honest about very private information with your doctor. I couldn't do that if he or she were a real jacka$$.

Plus, it's often a very scary time in someone's life if they are seeking medical treatment. A doctor who recognizes that and responds appropriately will be better able to educate their patients. A good bedside manner is priceless to me. I think it correlates directly to their patient care. Any doctor who comes off as arrogant concerns me particularly. Arrogant doctors have trouble admitting they made a mistake or don't know something, both of which can have disastrous results for patients. I worked with a doctor in Kamloops when I was a nursing student and I saw that a few times. He was a complete jacka$$.

 

[Curiosity]

I may be alone, but I do think that matters. You have to be open and honest about very private information with your doctor. I couldn't do that if he or she were a real jacka$$.

Plus, it's often a very scary time in someone's life if they are seeking medical treatment. A doctor who recognizes that and responds appropriately will be better able to educate their patients. A good bedside manner is priceless to me. I think it correlates directly to their patient care. Any doctor who comes off as arrogant concerns me particularly. Arrogant doctors have trouble admitting they made a mistake or don't know something, both of which can have disastrous results for patients. I worked with a doctor in Kamloops when I was a nursing student and I saw that a few times. He was a complete jacka$$.

Tracy That's a bit over the top - if I had a distinct aversion to a doctor like the kind of person you describe, I wouldn't continue as a patient ever.

I have had many doctors over the years both in Canada and in the U.S. and have yet to meet a primary practitioner or a specialist with whom I didn't have immediate rapport, both male and female. If that is luck I have no idea - I have no comparison except my friends seem to like their doctors and my family members do as well.

I think the general population do like their medical people or they simply do not return as a patient.

How these people act out in front of staff (nurses and assistants) could be a whole other world - one which as a patient I don't expect to have to deal with. If they make me well or see to my health concerns, that is my focus....not if they are nice or cranky or arrogant.
I'm not looking for Barney or a motherly type to hold my hand.

If they make gross medical mistakes, there are other places to research - not an internet survey.

 

[tracy]

How these people act out in front of staff (nurses and assistants) could be a whole other world - one which as a patient I don't expect to have to deal with.

I think that's the key. I do see how they act when patients aren't around and I do think their attitudes at those times often relate to how they treat their patients. When I need a new doc, I make an effort to ask nurses who work in the area who they like. It hasn't failed me. Arrogance and rudeness in particular are symptoms of deeper problems to me and if those words are used to describe the doc then that isn't the doc for me. Those are the same docs that are dismissive of their patients and unwilling to listen to input from their colleagues (2 things I think are essential for good care).

Don't get me wrong though, my experiences with my doctors have overwhelmingly been positive (both in the workplace and as a patient). There have been a couple negative ones, but they aren't the norm.

 

[TenPenny]

I just found http://www.ratemymd.ca

It's one of those doctor rating sites but specific to Canadian doctors.
I personally don't like my doctor and gave him a bad review.

Do you think that a doctor should be able to post his/her opinion of YOU, by name, for everyone to see?

 

[TenPenny]

The problem I have is doctors are not themselves very accountable for mistakes unless it harms someone. No amount of "Almost killed thank god for the nurse/pharmacist/other doctor" ever amounts to negligence.

Thus nothing is done until they ACTUALLY harm someone.

That is utter bull****. Every Province has a system where you can complain to the college of physicians if you think your doctor (or their receptionist) was rude to you, or tried to kill you, or everything in between. Every one of these complaints is taken VERY seriously. And it happens relatively frequently. If you have a legitimate complaint, use the channels that are there for you.

 

[amagqira]

There might be a problem in the selection of budding aspirants for medical school - by and large the people who get selected are the more academically inclined group who do not necessarily relate well to people.

You really need to like people and above all care about what happens to them. I believe that people tend to pick up on this. At the same time a physician needs to be sensitive as to what approach will work best with a particular person - just as there is not one managerial style which works for everybody.

I have met a few physicians who do not like people - were more interested in the intellectual aspects and mechanics of doctoring. Luckily there are several avenues in medicine and most of them tend to pick something which removes them from people.

There is a review done on physicians every few years - and the nurses, and other physicians all get to submit a form in anonymity as to a physicians's competence, behaviour towards patients, general behaviour etc and the physician concerned then gets a summary of the report - how he rates.

 

[Impetus]

Interesting...I looked up my doctor on this site some time ago and added a good review to two or three others (she had all good reviews), but now she doesn't come up in the search.

I suppose they can have themselves removed from the list if they want.

Personally, I like her open-minded approach, punctuality, availability and the way she says "Cough please" once a year!;-)

Muz

 

[Zzarchov]

That is utter bull****. Every Province has a system where you can complain to the college of physicians if you think your doctor (or their receptionist) was rude to you, or tried to kill you, or everything in between. Every one of these complaints is taken VERY seriously. And it happens relatively frequently. If you have a legitimate complaint, use the channels that are there for you.

Oh sure, and where might they be?

Better question, tell me where I can find out if my doctor has had these complaints before I go see him? Cause I can flat out tell you, I have never been able to find out if my doctor at the time had almost killed other people.

But I suppose I could find out with that internet survey, I can see both who likes him and who does not. Perhaps thats just something Im used to, since almost every other profession has a service like this attached to them.

 

[Curiosity]

Second thoughts

I was remembering my doctor in Vancouver and I did have a problem with him - not entirely unpleasant but difficult - he was absolutely jaw dropping handsome...and I had a problem until I had some years with him and grew up a bit... I think he understood because no doubt many teens and young adults had a crush on the guy.... wasn't his fault and I only commented because it was tough
to get over and I didn't want to tell my parents.... my dad would have found a grumpy old Scotchman over 100 years old!!!

My doc in California (I was just writing about him in an e-mail)... is a lovely, polite Japanese American who trained in Michigan - thoroughly westernized and loves all the new gadgets for his practice. I love him but would never see him for some of the stuff I hate....so I ask for his PA who is (as I wrote to someone) a bitch....

She is terrific, will not let me get away with any of my whining and arguments as the Japanese guy would and I love her for her bitchiness because it is taking care of me and it is her business to see I obey....

Great combo.... my Japanese doc has women figured out pretty well...

 

[MikeyDB]

Most recently I underwent minor surgery to have a polyp removed from my groin. I have had multiple infections necessitating several regimens of antibiotics to take the swelling down and relieve pressure from the puss formed. I have been having this problem now for three months and although multiple visits to the doctor, have only just gotten a modicum of relief through this surgery. When a doctor becomes a businessman and doctors form real estate groups buying up buildings and setting up group practices with money and earnings as the bottom line as opposed to anything resembling the Hipocratic oath....

In Canada, the age of the GP is nearly gone with specialization being the key to Canadian assembly-line medicine as seen at "urgent care" and "walk-in-clinics". This is symptomatic of a malaise that is sweeping all professional disciplines. Money is the new god and doctors are faithful in their worship.

 

[Curiosity]

Hi Mikey that doesn't sound like the activist you are

Have you asked your primary care guy's office for a referral to a specialist?

If not do so - either they will pay more attention

or

They will refer you to a specialist who will take care of the problem

or

You will find another doc who WILL

I take it you politely acquiesce with their agenda and leave..... no way man.... speak up.... get on the phone and give them some Curiosity attitude. Nobody needs to have an infection cruising around in your systems.... sounds like a bad staph.... get on their case...

 

[mcrawford]

It's about education

There is nothing more valuable than a REAL persons opinion or review of something - doctors included.

No medical association is going to give a BAD or negative review of anything... they always take care of themselves and each other (doctors).

These types of sites provide blunt opinions, both good and bad.

Call up the ontario college of physicians and you won't hear anything but great things about doctors... they are dishonest like that.

How can any doctor (or any professional) be great all the time!?

 

[Kreskin]

How do you know that anyone who posts a review even saw the doctor, and how would a doctor protect his/her reputation from someone doing that?

 

[mcrawford]

That's correct Tonnington, the College of Physicians and Surgeons in whatever region you're in will accept and investigate all such complaints..

The www.RateMyMD.ca site has doctors broken down by province.

Each provinces page has a link to the "File A Complaint" page which takes you to the respective College Of Physicians And Surgeons complaint filing process.

That's where you file an actual complaint.

 

[Zzarchov]

How do you know that anyone who posts a review even saw the doctor, and how would a doctor protect his/her reputation from someone doing that?

How do you know anything on Rotten Tomatoes posted is actually by people who saw the doctor?

How do you know good things posted aren't posted by the Doctors themselves?

In the end, if you don't value the style of opinion, don't use it.

But I think the earlier comment about their not being fair rating systems of doctors is true. If it were fair, then how come you can't call and ask for a list of below average doctors to avoid?

Even if they are all stellar their should be below average just by the nature of the concept of an average.

But you can't get a list like that can you?

 

[TenPenny]

There actually is a movement afoot on the part of some doctors to have a similar patient rating site - so they can post the names and addresses of patients, with comments like, 'refuses to wash before appointments', 'steals prescription pads', 'whines a lot but refuses to do anything for themselves', 'always misses appointments', etc.

That way, everybody can see if you'd be an acceptable patient or not, before they decide to see you. I think it's a great idea.

 

[Tonington]

There actually is a movement afoot on the part of some doctors to have a similar patient rating site - so they can post the names and addresses of patients, with comments like, 'refuses to wash before appointments', 'steals prescription pads', 'whines a lot but refuses to do anything for themselves', 'always misses appointments', etc.

That way, everybody can see if you'd be an acceptable patient or not, before they decide to see you. I think it's a great idea.

Ahahah, that's hilarious. I concur, great idea.

I wonder how that fits with Doctor-Patient ethics?

 

[Kreskin]

How do you know anything on Rotten Tomatoes posted is actually by people who saw the doctor?

How do you know good things posted aren't posted by the Doctors themselves?

In the end, if you don't value the style of opinion, don't use it.

But I think the earlier comment about their not being fair rating systems of doctors is true. If it were fair, then how come you can't call and ask for a list of below average doctors to avoid?

Even if they are all stellar their should be below average just by the nature of the concept of an average.

But you can't get a list like that can you?

You're right, a bad doctor could give himself high ratings and give his competent counterparts bad ratings. In other words, the ratings and comments ain't worth a red nickle.

You can see a doctor and determine just how good or bad he/she is. It doesn't cost anything. Or you can ask a friend who you know, rather than take the advice of some unknown leaving doctor ratings.

 

[tracy]

There actually is a movement afoot on the part of some doctors to have a similar patient rating site - so they can post the names and addresses of patients, with comments like, 'refuses to wash before appointments', 'steals prescription pads', 'whines a lot but refuses to do anything for themselves', 'always misses appointments', etc.

That way, everybody can see if you'd be an acceptable patient or not, before they decide to see you. I think it's a great idea.

Ha! Wouldn't that be nice! Not that it will ever happen... I've been in the same area long enough to see some repeat patients and word does get out pretty quick about those who are difficult to handle.