By Dr Nilanjan Banerjee
In this tech-savvy world, people firmly believe in modern technologies and take their help to make decisions. This has proved to be extremely effective and led to success in actions. The healthcare sector is not immune to this impact. In fact, it has benefitted the sector greatly in reaching out to patients and offering them services.
Moreover, an outstanding tech feature, ratings and reviews have also significantly aided patients to know and choose the healthcare professionals they should visit for a particular treatment. This is particularly important for India, where a lack of nearby medical facilities makes receiving healthcare services difficult for patients, resulting in worsening the situation. Similarly, it helps doctors and hospitals in many different ways.
Considering the underlying benefits of ratings and reviews, the recent guidelines (though now held in abeyance) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) that restrict doctors from participating in online reviews and ratings platforms appear to be regressive and detrimental to the evolving healthcare sector in India. This will have a significant impact on the decisions of patients and the response time to health conditions. A huge amount of time will be wasted in the search for a good doctor or advanced medical facility, leading to delayed decisions and responses.
How ratings and reviews benefit patients and doctors
Ratings and reviews of doctors and healthcare facilities play a pivotal role in enhancing the patient experience and overall healthcare quality. Firstly, these assessments provide valuable insights for patients seeking medical care, allowing them to make informed decisions. Patients can read about the experiences of others, including the quality of care, communication skills of the medical staff, waiting times, and the effectiveness of treatments. This transparency fosters trust and empowers individuals to choose healthcare providers that best align with their needs and preferences.
Moreover, these evaluations incentivize healthcare professionals and facilities to maintain high standards of service. Doctors and staff who consistently receive positive ratings are encouraged to uphold their exceptional care, while those with lower scores may be prompted to improve their practices. The competitive nature of the healthcare industry, driven in part by these reviews, encourages a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, ultimately benefitting patients who receive better care.
Furthermore, the availability of ratings and reviews promotes accountability and transparency within the healthcare sector. It helps in identifying and rectifying any systemic issues, fostering a culture of patient-centered care. As a result, healthcare providers are motivated to address concerns, improve patient experiences, and implement necessary changes to ensure the highest standards of quality and safety.
On the other hand, preventing doctors and hospitals from participating in such platforms will severely limit the access to information to patients and their family members and can have several adverse effects on both healthcare providers and patients. It means depriving patients of valuable insights and peer feedback that can help them select the most suitable healthcare providers. This lack of transparency may lead to decisions made in the dark, potentially resulting in unsatisfactory or suboptimal medical care. Additionally, when doctors are restricted from engaging with these platforms, it reduces their ability to respond to patient concerns, address issues, and make necessary improvements.
A globally accepted Top of Form
practice
There is enough data to corroborate the usefulness of reviews and ratings, and some countries like the US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Australia etc. have a variety of different review and ratings platforms. In the UK, the National Health Services (NHS) operates a Reviews & Ratings microsite that includes patient reviews and ratings for healthcare services.
Many countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, and most Nordic countries systematically report Quality of care as part of overall health system performance reports. In the US, the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid runs its Five-star quality rating services that provides information on the quality of care at over 4,000 Medicare-certified hospitals.
Similarly, the Australian Government’s MyHospitals helps patients, families and caregivers to access data, reports and interactive visualisations about Australia’s hospitals, availability of hospitals across the region or state/territory, or hospitals nationally.
Conclusion
Today, patients, relatives and family members have great trust in online information as it is seen to be neutral, unbiased and equitable, suggestive of neutrality and fairness, since the good, bad, better and best (or star based!) ratings get offset by competing ratings. Such user-generated information empowers patients and enhances their understanding of issues, and serves as a reference.
In view of the rapidly evolving technology, both medical and IT, and patients’ benefits, it’s time for the NMC to take a lead in creating a system of reviews and ratings. India is in the forefront of IT and it must strive to become a leader in the healthcare sector by developing a robust R&R platform that can be implemented across countries. The NMC must keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies and promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all the citizens.
(The author is a Doctor in Wanowrie, Pune and has an experience of 26 years in this field. He is also a member of Medical Council of India (MCI). Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
