I was checking and responding to blogs when I came across this article in the Mail Online (UK)
Patients will be able to rate and review performance of their GPs on new NHS website By Rebecca Camber
It's this a good idea, to be able to rate your GP online. The NHS has created a website which will be under Government control. The idea is that this will boost doctors' performance - or will it?
Off course I can see potential problems with confidentially and truthfulness - however legal action can be taken against writers for defamation if they write untruths.
The NHS already does something similar with the NHS Choices (types of treatment or hospital) website -
from this analysis of the first 6,500 comments showed, 24 per cent were positive, 27 per cent negative and the rest were balanced.
that's not bad odds!
We must remember people that who are dissatisfied will complain more, tend to be more negative and may also be more malicious.
Also website staff will be able to moderate reviews to exclude comments that could identify a GP or staff member.
What do you think? do we need to go down this road? Do you think it will make a difference?
5 comments:
I think it's a good idea but I can't see it working. You are right people who are dissatisfied do complain more. Just because you can rate your GP doesn't mean it will change their performance. Plus with their work load will they be bothered to check their rating?
These sorts of sites appear anyway so perhaps it is a good idea to be open and have something like this which has some sort of control over it. I can see lots of problems. Would defamation cases really be taken to court and at what cost? Not just the financial cost but personal cost to all of those involved. I wonder how this is set up, do you have to prove that you are patient of the doctors to comment. Could doctors round up all their family and friends to post nice things about them?
I do love the Birthchoice UK site and wish we had something like this here in NZ. Our data published by the Ministry of Health NZ and the MMPO does give us intervention rates in different hospitals, some midwifery statistics and can be accessed by individuals online.I am not sure how widely known this is.
Would it be useful for the public to have access to the statistics of individual practitioners? For example for this midwife ??% of her clients birth at home ??% in birthing centre ??% in hospital, ??% have Water birth ??% have episiotomy, epidural etc.
I believe many midwives share this information with their clients individually. Would it be useful for women to be able to see these statistics in a comparative way, between different providers, midwives, GPs, Obstetricians?
thanks Carolyn for your valid comments. I agree with you that the UK Birth choices is a great website, very informative a fantastic resource for women.
I think with the technological world now, women are seaching and comparing information more than ever and will compare health care providers to get what it is they want. You are right when you say it can be problematic in some areas. Defamation cases are difintaley on the increase, because there are so many, many bloggers now. The internet is becoming a major way of communicating and sourcing information.
thanks anonymous for stopping by. I know myself if I get negative feedback I look at how to change this, so I am hoping that if GP's get negative feedback they will endeavour to change their practice-after all it does equate to an income.
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