Work

Patient Online Ratings of Sports Medicine Surgeons Most Commonly Relate to Bedside Manner and Communication

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Purpose To determine whether online ratings of sports medicine surgeons are more heavily influenced by clinical or nonclinical factors and to determine whether gender and geographic region influence surgeon reviews. Methods A list of 102 sports medicine surgeons who were members of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons was randomly generated. Each surgeon was searched on the Healthgrades and Google Reviews websites, and every 1‐ and 5‐star review for each surgeon since 2022 was compiled. The comments within these reviews were subsequently classified as clinical and nonclinical based on predetermined categories. Results Surgeons averaged 25 five‐star reviews (range, 0‐119) and 1 one‐star review (range, 0‐7) from Healthgrades and Google Reviews. Among 5‐star reviews, the most common positive comments were related to bedside manner (n = 1,336; 56%), communication (n = 1,216; 50.9%), and treatment success (n = 453; 19%). The most common negative comments among 1‐star reviews were related to communication (n = 59; 46.8%), bedside manner (n = 57; 45.2%), and appointment efficiency/scheduling (n = 38; 30.2%). Overall, both 1‐ and 5‐star reviews contained a higher proportion of nonclinical comments than clinical comments. Female sports medicine surgeons had a higher proportion of clinical comments in their 1‐star reviews (28 of 58, 48.3%) compared with their male counterparts (58 of 202, 28.7%) ( P = .01). Conclusions Most 5‐ and 1‐star reviews of sports medicine surgeons complimented or critiqued nonclinical aspects of patient care. Among both 5‐ and 1‐star reviews, the most common comments related to communication and bedside manner. Thus, sports medicine surgeons can improve patient satisfaction by focusing on overall demeanor and communication skills. Clinical Relevance These findings offer valuable insights into patient satisfaction and guide efforts to improve patient experiences and outcomes within orthopaedic sports medicine.

Source: Arthroscopy Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

DOI: 10.1016/j.asmr.2025.101202