Dr. Lindsay Sobin
Dr. Parul Goyal
Dr. Lindsay Sobin and Dr. Parul Goyal have their article featured in leading medical journal.
Dr. Lindsay Sobin, of SUNY Upstate Medical University, and Dr. Parul Goyal, of Syracuse Otolaryngology, recently conducted a study that looked at reviews found on online doctor rating sites. Their article, Trends of Online Ratings of Otolaryngologists: What Do Your Patients Really Think of You?, was recently published in the medical journal JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. Dr. Sobin was also featured in an audio interview conducted by the journal.
Many patients use the internet to find information about their doctors. Knowing this, Drs. Sobin and Goyal looked at the patterns in ratings for Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, & Throat) doctors in the northeastern part of the United States.
The study found that most of the doctors had profiles on the rating websites, and that most reviews were generally positive. Certain types of specialists tended to have higher ratings than others, as a group.
While patients may find the information on these websites helpful, Drs. Sobin and Goyal caution that the information in itself does not speak to the quality of care a particular doctor provides. However, the ratings are still important because they may impact patients’ decisions.
Links to the article and interview are posted below: