Learning by listening: Physicians say online reviews can improve health care

Online platforms that allow users to read and write reviews of businesses and services afford health care providers an opportunity to learn by listening, physicians report. The authors point to a growing body of literature supporting the value of unstructured reviews in supplementing ratings from formal sources such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Heathcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). They call on hospital leaders to pay attention to online reviews to show current and prospective patients that they are being heard.