Online Ratings of Primary Care Physicians: Comparison of Gender, Training, and Specialty.

The purpose of this study was to explore patient perceptions of primary care providers and their offices relative to their physician's philosophy (medical degree [MD] vs doctorate in osteopathic medicine [DO]), specialty (internal medicine vs family medicine), US region, and gender (male vs female). Using the Healthgrades website, the average satisfaction rating for the physician, office parameters, and wait time were collected and analyzed for 1267 physicians. We found female doctors tended to have lower ratings in the Midwest, and staff friendliness of female physicians were rated lower in the northwest. In the northeast, male and female MDs were rated more highly than DOs. Wait times varied regionally, with northeast and northwest regions having the shortest wait times. Overall satisfaction was generally high for most physicians. Regional differences in perception of a physician based on gender or degree may have roots in local culture, including proximity to a DO school, comfort with female physicians, and expectations for waiting times.

Assessing the Validity and Accuracy of Online Videos on Vaccine Health Risks.

Incongruent vaccination rates have been found in multiple US cities, one cause possibly being misleading information that is easily available on the internet through text and videos. Health care providers should be aware of the extent and content of online health information available to patients and their guardians to enhance the effectiveness of patient-physician communication. This study obtained data on vaccine-related YouTube videos and analyzed the videos' content. When misleading information was found in a video, the timing and specific type of misleading information was noted. More than two thirds of the YouTube videos contained some type of unreliable information regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness. Much of the information accessible to patients and parents vaccinating their children is misleading to a potentially dangerous extent. Health care providers should be aware of and able to provide clear counter-evidence to misleading information on YouTube in light of the findings.