Survey of the Use of Physician Review Websites in Patients Under Orthopaedic Care (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Physician-rating websites (PRWs) are rising in popularity as the healthcare sector focuses more on patient-centered value-based care delivery. Recent studies have reported that the vast majority of orthopaedic surgeons across subspecialties already have at least one rating or review on at least one PRW. However, there are few studies identifying patient-facing factors related to the knowledge and use of PRWs and the level of influence PRWs may have on patient decision-making. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study are: 1) to determine the prevalence of PRW use by patients seeking orthopaedic care, 2) to identify the influence PRWs have on patient decision-making, and 3) to identify factors associated with knowledge and use of PRWs. METHODS Survey administration was performed at three outpatient orthopaedic multi-specialty. Patients were asked about demographic characteristics including age, sex, occupation, and education, as well as their familiarity with PRWs, use of PRWs, and how PRWs have influenced their decision to see their surgeon. RESULTS A total of 350 patients completed the survey. The majority were women (59%) and Caucasian (77%), and the mean age of the population was 58 years old (range 15-91). 155 patients (44%) reported being somewhat (31%) or very (13%) familiar with PRWs, and 195 patients (56%) reported no familiarity with PRWs. Patients most familiar with PRWs were between 45-64 years old (p = 0.02), women (p < 0.01), had graduate/professional degrees (p < 0.01), and seen by adult reconstruction surgeons (p = 0.02). Seventy-two percent of patients utilizing PRWs reported that PRWs had an impact on their decision to see their chosen provider, with 93% noting ratings and reviews as the most valuable information. CONCLUSIONS Many patients in this study were not familiar with PRWs and did not utilize PRWs prior to their visit. However, most patients who did consult PRWs reported that the ratings and reviews did have an impact in their decision to choose their orthopaedic specialist. As PRW use increases, factors that influence patient decision-making are important to understand for surgeons and administrators.