The Impact of Web-Based Ratings on Patient Choice of a Primary Care Physician Versus a Specialist: Randomized Controlled Experiment

Abstract

Background: Physician review websites have empowered prospective patients to acquire information about physicians. However, little is known about how Web-based ratings on different aspects of a physician may affect patients' selection of physicians differently.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to examine (1) how patients weigh ratings on a physician's technical skills and interpersonal skills in their selection of physicians and (2) whether and how people's choice of a primary care physician versus a specialist is affected differently by Web-based ratings.

Methods: A 2×2×2×2 between-subjects experiment was conducted. Over 600 participants were recruited through a crowdsourcing website and randomly assigned to view a mockup physician review Web page that contained information on a physician's basic information and patients' ratings. After reviewing the Web page, participants were asked to complete a survey on their perceptions of the physician and willingness to seek health care from the physician.

Results: The results showed that participants were more willing to choose a physician with higher ratings on technical skills than on interpersonal skills compared with a physician with higher ratings on interpersonal skills than on technical skills, t_369.96=22.36, P<.001, Cohen d=1.22. In the selection of different types of physicians, patients were more likely to choose a specialist with higher ratings on technical skills than on interpersonal skills, compared with a primary care physician with the same ratings, F_1,521=5.34, P=.021.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that people place more weight on technical skills than interpersonal skills in their selection of a physician based on their ratings on the Web. Specifically, people are more likely to make a compromise on interpersonal skills in their choice of a specialist compared with a primary care physician. This study emphasizes the importance of examining Web-based physician ratings in a more nuanced way in relation to the selection of different types of physicians.

Trial registration: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN91316463; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN91316463.

Keywords: interpersonal skills; physician ratings; physician selection; technical skills.

Figure 1

An example of the physician review page stimuli.