Patients can now monitor their doctors in real time for changes in disciplinary actions, malpractice judgments, updated patient ratings and more through the new "Watchdog" e-mail alert service at healthgrades, the consumer Web site of the nation's leading healthcare ratings organization.
"Recent high-profile news stories underscore the need for patients to know more about their doctors," said Sarah Loughran, HealthGrades' executive vice president. "If your doctor is sanctioned by his or her state medical board, has a substantial malpractice judgment or has received new training or expertise, you can know about it immediately through HealthGrades' Watchdog e-mail alert service. It's designed to give patients peace of mind."
HealthGrades maintains award-winning quality profiles on virtually every practicing physician in the country to help patients and their loved ones research and choose the physician who is right for them. The profiles include information on each doctor's medical training, board certification, patient-experience ratings, state and federal sanctions, malpractice judgments (in 15 states), procedure costs, hospital affiliations and more. By signing up for the HealthGrades Watchdog service, consumers will receive real-time e-mail alerts when important information changes within their doctors' profile.
More than four million individuals visited HealthGrades in January of 2008 to research the quality and cost of doctors, hospitals, physicians, nursing homes and home health agencies.
HealthGrades' physician profiles include the following information, much of which is free to visitors of healthgrades:
- Physician contact information
- Medical training
- Residencies and fellowships
- Specialty
- Board certification
- Sanctions and disciplinary action at the federal level and in all of the 50 states
- Malpractice judgments (available in 15 states)
- Patient-experience survey responses
- Years in practice
- HealthGrades quality ratings of affiliated and nearby hospitals
- Cost information on relevant procedures
- Checklist for evaluating physicians
- Comparisons to similar physicians
- Bridges to Excellence® certification
- Priority appointment link for thousands of doctors
- Physician-written background information on practice philosophy, subspecialty training and more, in selected reports
Comprehensive physician profiles cost $29.95 and the Watchdog e-mail alert service cost $4.95 a month.
About HealthGrades
Health Grades, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGRD) is the leading healthcare ratings organization, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing homes and physicians. Millions of consumers and many of the nation's largest employers, health plans and hospitals rely on HealthGrades' independent ratings, advisory services and decision-support resources to make healthcare decisions based on the quality and cost of care. More information on the company can be found at healthgrades.