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Many patients seek out reviews on a plastic surgeon when determining whether to schedule a consultation with that surgeon. These online reviews are a fact of life in our world now days, and they can be very beneficial in learning more about a surgeon and determining if that surgeon is the right one for you. The task of analyzing reviews and rating between the numerous different review sites can become exhausting. There are cosmetic procedure based sites, such as Real Self, medical based websites, such as RateMDs, search engine business profiles, such as Google Places, and many more. Consider the following items when you are browsing through these sites:Comments can tell you a lot more than “ratings” or “stars”I strongly recommend skimming through the actual reviews for comments that provide insights into how a plastic surgeon might be a fit for you. Look for themes about their helpfulness during the consultation, their bedside manner, their communication skills, the way they deal with complications, how the patient feels about their results, and the overall experience. These comments can provide you with a realistic picture on how the surgeon treats their patients.Unfortunately, another reality of online reviews is the possibility for false or spammy reviews. It is an unethical practice that some businesses do participate in to improve the surface level view of their business. Reading through the reviews can help you determine if it is an actual patient perspective or an unethical marketing practice.Evaluate Bad Reviews with a Grain of SaltNo surgeon wants to read negative or bad reviews about themselves, and certainly if there are a large number of bad reviews, it could be cause for concern as a patient. Take the time to analyze the reviews. Recognize that in some circumstances fake reviews (both positive and negative) could be posted. I recommend reading reviews for what seem to be actual patient experiences, rather than simple rants. Also look for consistent themes across multiple reviews (and even different review websites). This will be your best guide in effectively analyzing the reviews.Go Beyond Review SitesWhile online reviews can be helpful when determining which plastic surgeon you chose to consult with, they are far from perfect. I recommend emailing and calling a surgeon’s office and see what impressions you get from talking with the staff. Ask lots of questions and ultimately book a consultation and visit with the plastic surgeon in person.
