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Patient Driven Referral Sites [PDRSs]

By Dr. Darrell K. Pruitt; DDS

By Staff Writers

It is clear to some practitioners that Internet-based consumerism is the future of medicine; as well as dentistry. 

Regardless of the increasing number of complaints about managed care’s malevolent business model, managed care medical and dental plans are already wilting under the heat of transparency as well as the stifling economy. Market share continues to fall because of Adam Smith-like competition. 

These days, consumers are talking like a small town. Dentistry is no exception in the healthcare space. 

Enter Doctor Oogle

Doctor Oogle is a web 2.0 platform, built on a social architecture of national participation where patients post comments and opine about participating providers; nice or nasty. According to the site, it also offers a public database of dentists with patient feedback about dental practitioners. One can also read reviews, ratings, and recommendations; select a practitioner or schedule an appointment.

Ad-Driven Contrast of PDRSs

In contrast to WebMD, Servicegrades.com or other Patient-Driven Referral Sites (PDRS), which sell dentists ad space, DR. Oogle is completely uninfluenced by paid advertisements because there are none.  Participating dentists pay a flat monthly fee.

Defining Dental Quality 

If we can agree that in dentistry [perhaps more than medicine] patient satisfaction is an important measurement of quality care, DR. Oogle is a natural measuring tool just begging to be used by patients holding preferred provider lists.  In addition, DR. Oogle has the largest database of patient ratings of any other PDRS.

Dollar-Based Dental Benefits 

As businesses pull-back from expensive dental and medical insurance, some providers encourage owners to replace it with a fair and simple dollar-based benefit system; like Direct Reimbursement [DR] instead of intentionally confusing procedure-based benefits. This is akin to a concierge medical practice.

And, dentistry may be more susceptible to consumer influences, than whole-body medicine for a variety of reasons; for example:

• costs of dental treatment are a small fraction of hospitalization,
• emergencies are not generally life threatening, even if painful, and,
• patients readily recognize bad dentistry [sometimes even as it is being performed].

Welcomed Transparency

Some dentists – and doctors – opine that managed care dentistry [medicine] is simply dentistry [medicine] provided by the lowest bidder – with little to no quality control – an unethical/specious business foundation that ultimately leads to the abandonment of patients’ interests.  Of course, this is not a new hue and cry against managed care precepts. 

DIY Studies

And so, in a recently received, and anonymous, do-it-yourself DR. Oogle study; one researcher was shocked at how much the listed dentists were disliked by their customers [patients]. Of course, there are statistical wrinkles: 

• Maybe these lower rated dentists are not as bad as the reviews describe.
• Is it possible that a few vocal people who expect discounts are impossible to satisfy?
• How fair is that to a young dentist – just trying to scrape by anyway possible?
• What dentist can maintain professionalism indefinitely in the financially thank-less environment of managed care? 
• What about the future? 

Even if a preferred provider goes bankrupt trying to maintain professional standards, he or she remains sadly unappreciated.  Discount dentistry [medicine] comes at a tremendous price.

Assessment:

Collaborative healthcare 2.0 is the philosophy where patients, providers, and payers interact collaboratively and competitively in order to enhance quality medical services at value-driven prices in the most appropriate venue and time.

Dr. Oogle is an imperfect tool that in many respects seeks to further this goal.

Nevertheless, although metering tools will undoubtedly improve going forward, caring and competent dental professionals need not fear them. All others beware of patient empowerment and transparency.  

Conclusion:

You thoughts and opinions are appreciated. Please comment on Dr. Oogle and/or related doctor evaluation methods. [PDRSs].  Or, discourse on the increasingly transparent healthcare ecosystem in general.

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Filed under: Career Development, Information Technology, Practice Management | Tagged: Add new tag, doctor oogle, PDRS | 6 Comments »