Many Older Adults Skeptical of Online Reviews of Doctors

The National Poll on Healthy Aging of more than 2,000 older American adults found only 43 percent of men and women between 50 and 80 years of age have gone online to see reviews of doctors, reports United Press International . Of this group, 66 percent selected a doctor because of good online ratings and reviews, but reviews were assigned as much importance as what older adults heard from friends and relatives. Sixty-nine percent of older adults had doctor decisions influenced by the wait time for an appointment, and about 40 percent by recommendations from other doctors or the physician's level of experience. Just 7 percent said they had posted an online review or a rating of a doctor. Among the cohort that looked at online reviews, 69 percent said they would not choose a doctor with mostly negative reviews, while 71 percent said some bad reviews among lots of positive reviews would not sway them from choosing a physician. "Although online physician reviews and ratings are important to older consumers, they are savvy about information gathered on the Internet and have a healthy dose of skepticism around them, too," said AARP's Alison Bryant.