In an effort to increase transparency, the Mount Sinai Doctors Faculty Practice has begun posting patient experience ratings for its doctors. The star ratings are based on patients’ responses to select questions from a nationally validated, standardized survey developed by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The ratings are being posted to physicians’ profiles on the Mount Sinai “Find a Doctor” website as part of an initiative that was launched Thursday, October 13. (See example, right.)
Star ratings are calculated from patient surveys received following a medical office visit. Patients rate physicians on a one-to-five scale based upon their perception of how well the physician explained things during the visit, how well the physician listened, and the likelihood of recommending the physician’s office. In accordance with industry practice, only physicians with at least 30 completed surveys in the most recent 18 months will have star ratings.
Mount Sinai physicians, on average, received 4.75 out of 5 stars, and nearly 90 percent of Mount Sinai physicians scored more than a 4.5, according to a preliminary analysis of existing survey data. Vendor Press Ganey mails or emails surveys to more than 500,000 Mount Sinai patients annually.
Patients routinely research ratings when making health care choices. Websites such as ZocDoc, Yelp, Vitals, and Healthgrades allow anyone to post ratings and reviews of physicians, but without verification.
In launching these star ratings, the Faculty Practice joins other leading organizations, including the Cleveland Clinic, Stanford Health, and Duke University Medical Center.