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Characterizing Negative Online Reviews in Hand Surgery
Lawrence J Lin1, Eric Mai2, Rae Lan1
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, NYU School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York.
Journal of Wrist Surgery
|March 23, 2026
Summary
Patient reviews on physician websites often focus on nonclinical issues. Hand surgeons should prioritize bedside manner and office efficiency to improve online ratings and patient satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Patient Experience
- Online Reputation Management
Background:
- Physician review websites are readily accessible resources for patients seeking medical care.
- Understanding patient dissatisfaction is crucial for healthcare providers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize negative online reviews of hand surgeons.
- To identify factors contributing to low ratings on popular review platforms.
Main Methods:
- A random sample of 500 hand surgeons from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) directory was selected.
- One-star reviews from Healthgrades.com, Vitals.com, and RateMDs.com were analyzed.
- Complaints were categorized into clinical and nonclinical factors.
Main Results:
- 1,848 one-star reviews were analyzed.
- Nonclinical complaints (73.6%) were more common than clinical complaints.
- Bedside manner (53.8%) was the most frequent nonclinical complaint, followed by wait time (11.0%).
- Unfavorable surgical outcomes (40.4%) were the most common clinical complaint.
Conclusions:
- Nonclinical aspects of care, particularly bedside manner and wait times, significantly influence negative online reviews for hand surgeons.
- Addressing nonclinical factors is essential for improving surgeon reputation and patient satisfaction.
