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A veterinary blog for pet lovers, vet voyeurs and the medically curious...
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In last month’s issue of Veterinary Economics there’s an article by Mark Opperman, CVPM on the power of online veterinarian ratings to either boost or bite into our bottom lines. Apparently, service-review sites like InsiderPages, CitySearch and ReadyVetGo can really make a difference to our potential Web-surfing clientele.
Vets are urged to Google their hospitals to learn more about what others are saying about them so they can defend their good name and/or find ways to address perceived or real problems with their services.
It’s a good exercise in sensitivity for vets. It’s also a great sign of the times that online reviews by YOU can make a difference to how vets practice.
Unfortunately, I find that most of these sites disproportionately provide more of a forum for the disgruntled than for disarmed veterinary clientele. As such, these online services provide little more than a “don’t go there” admonition from a handful of unhappy people than it is a truly beneficial resource for the rest of us. Here’s an online sample taken from the Vet Econ article:
“They have the highest clinic death rate. That’s because no certification is required to work there! There are four investigations pending against this clinic, including animal cruelty. Records prove that most of the deaths occur either when the pet is left alone overnight or during procedures. I don’t recommend this clinic to anyone who values their pet’s life.”
Now, is that review valuable? Maybe. If it hadn’t been a confirmed blast issued by a disgruntled employee. If the information contained therein hadn’t been fabricated.
See what I mean? It takes lots of e-pinions to make an online community difference. And most sites suffer from a lack of YOUR input.
We could say the same about a zillion other online resources. Save the Amazon-esque social-networking style of opinion sourcing, most customer reviews are pretty weak, courting only the highest volume opinions out there—which isn’t always the most helpful, right?
To that end, I’d urge all of you to find the network you like for telling it like it is and pen your own balanced review about your vet. And be honest. Do you like their techs? Do you hate their wait time? Do they make you feel at home? Do you distrust their pricing?
Go ahead and write the best and worst you’ve seen in a number of establishments you’ve patronized over the years. Spread it around. Here’s a list of review sites just clamoring for your insight:
InsiderPages
local.yahoo.com
Yelp.com
CitySearch
ReadyVetGo
VetRatingz
DoctorScorecard
YellowBot
YellowPages.aol.com
iKarma
4VetClinics
OpenList
Dogster.com
Catster.com
Veterinary clients like you will thank you. And veterinarians may well learn a thing or two about themselves. The best of these vets will take your information and improve themselves. What more could you ask for? That’s power. And that’s power that can translate directly to the health of a large number of pets.
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"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
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- Mohandas Gandhi
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It's because of that man I got stuck wearing khaki colored pants with weird colored teal green polo shirts at the hospital I worked for. If that wasn't bad enough, he had some company set up a ridiculous filing system that didn't work at all. The "vault" as it were would have been better used a King Tut's tomb or anybody else's tomb.
While I know your post wasn't about him, but he doesn't think in real life terms. Instead he pulls things from the sky and smelly parts of his anatomy. *shudders*
I take these sites with a grain of salt, unless particularly detailed. Some of them, I bet come from "competing hospitals or their own!" ! I can understand why people chose not to use real full names on the web. But if you are making a "strong" statement, I would pay more attention to a full name, location, and web address to support the "comment". None of this "I brought my 16 1/2 yr. old cocker in in a wheelchair to the vets and they were great...." .
That is why I feel it most important to use my name, along with "Pocket's Story from NH", because people can use a search engine or visit directly http://walnut-hill.bravehost.com to read & see actual copies of medical info, along with emailing me at walnuthl@gsinet.net to inquire & comment.
I am no longer afraid nor intimidated to tell anyone and everyone that both Edgefield & Dover Veterinary Hospital in New Hampshire conspired and carried out a very cruel, torturous scam and murderous end to Pocket's life in October '06
And on the flip side, I am very willing to share (word of mouth & published) experiences to report good and successful treatments that any of my pets have received
Enough time has passed for me to respond sensibly, though never enough time will pass to allow me to forget! I have been recently & gratefully reminded how humane euthanasia is a kindness and a gift that should be afforded to every pet, and there is ZERO justifiable excuse for anything less.
So, I think some places will suffer from the natural bias of people who have had a bad experience to go and speak out. . .but there are also places that will skew the ratings a bit positive by soliciting reviews.
Bottom line. . .I just use these places as a start. The more reviews the better. The better sites enable to check the 'reputation' of the poster. (i.e. if they have posted only 1 or 2 reviews I trust them less than if they have posted 50 on a range of topics)
<arrgh, captcha blocked! trying again!>
http://www.dolittler.com/index.cfm/2008/2/25/pet.v...
It got so much negative mail when it made it into Vet Pactice News that the editor was jumping for joy--meanwhile I took the hits (with grace, I hope).
Opperman did more than create a bad dress code and the whole filing system. He re-did the whole phone system that never worked right, told my boss to use his "suggested" computer software that made things considerably harder for techs and receptionists to work with, ect. In the end, my boss dished out thousands of dollars for "improvements" that didn't improve anything. The flow of the hospital came to a complete stand still.
As for the dress code thing specifically, nobody I worked with dressed like a slob. The receptionists were always dressed nice, the techs wore their scrubs and kennel staff could wear whatever they wanted as long as it was decent and clean. We did have a few younger members of the kennel staff that would come to work in a tube tops and shorts that left nothing to the imagination but their idea of what was considered appropiate work wear got a overhaul 24 hours later. It goes without saying that these girls that thought they could keep a house full of boarders clean, walked, and sometimes bathed when it was needed didn't do much cleaning as it would ruin their manicures.
I think Opperman was trying to convert the hospital into something it wasn't meant to be. For over 25 years that hospital was known for being a family friendly place and he tried to make into a commercialized something or another and it didn't go over well. The frustation and havoc he caused started with my boss and just traveled down through the staff and clients as much as the staff tried to put in a smile and bear it.
I don't know how Mark Opperman got his God-like status in the the veterinary world, but he's by no means a business genius. I think on his own time he has a side business of selling snake oil to people that are looking for a quick fix to fix their ailments. He puts on a good show, but that's all it is, a show. All talk, no substance.
I'm sorry for the rant. I hadn't thought about Mark Opperman in years and when I saw his name, it brought back many horrible memories that I thought I left for dead a long time ago. Even my husband remembers the never ending list of rants I'd come home with after Mark Opperman left his greasy thumb print on the once peaceful hospital I worked for. That's saying alot since most of the time hubby can't remember what he did 5 minutes ago.
The clinic I now utilize has a very professional internal solicitation. A sign (and I can't remember the quote verbatim) basically says "we value your input to your pet's care...." and has a suggestion box with a survey type form in the lobby. This allows clients to say both good & gripes, with or without signature.
Anyways, do people normally feel it important or take time to post "good comments" all over the internet? I really don't think so. So I would view "no comments" as a "better" sign. Larry, I love the Yelp! because you can do a little profile on yourself, complete with picture, email it all over the place, and lift the "bling map" for your site. And----NO CENSORSHIP (so far)!!!!
"Unfortunately, I find that most of these sites disproportionately provide more of a forum for the disgruntled than for disarmed veterinary clientele"
First of all, it's not that the SITE's disproportionately provide a forum for negative comments. It's that CLIENTS are more likely to complain than to laud. This is not limited to the veterinary industry. It is human nature. If you look at news services, ANYTHING online you will see more rants and applause.
And there is a reason this doesn't bother me:
Although I would really like to KNOW who the good vets are, it is REALLY important for us to be warned about places that are dangerous. It is a matter of life and death. So, I urge people to keep complaining and I don't see it as a bad thing.
Along those lines, here are some more sites for your negative experiences:
www.vetpeeves.com
www.complaints.com
www.ripoffreport.com
For what it is worth, I have given a very good review to my current vet on Yelp.com and Insider pages. So, I give credit where it is definitely due.
I would love to post "good experiences" via internet forums, but feel at this time, it is more beneficial not to post about the current clinic I go to. Not because of negativity, but I fear it may solicit "hate" mail from other "professionals" (not clients) , because of this * small* state of NH. I have "published" via print forum accolades of good care. After Pearl's successful surgery, I talked to her surgeon about publishing her case, and got clarification on "technical" points for the article. On another note, I've submitted "paid appreciation ads" to publically acknowledge excellent & good care.
And Doolittler's is a good forum to share experiences, because the subscribers are particularly interested in technical aspects. Does anyone remember the Seinfeld show with Elaine "blackballed" from going to doctors, because she bad-mouthed "one" ? Believe me, I was reminded of that show by friends, and made several alternative plans (prior to going public) for my remaining pets' continued care, just incase that happened!!
The reviews -- good and bad -- are fairly consistent with one another *and* with my experience, in one case (negative) frightfully close.
Take-home lesson from what I looked at, same as what we get drilled into our heads as EMT's --
Don't be a jerk.
Don't be a jerk.
Don't be a jerk.
Because Nice Doctors Don't Get Sued.
And Nasty Doctors Get Sued Whether or Not They Screwed Up.
The same applies to client reviews -- and it's a whole lot easier for a disgruntled client to write a bad review than it is to sue a vet.
Positive comments (that were consistent with my experience) tended to dwell on the vet being a good listener, not talking down to the clients, and providing *collaborative* care for the patient in conjunction with the owner. Also had to do with professionalism and politeness of support staff.
Negative comments (also consistent with my experience) focused on imperious attitude, not listening, rude/ignorant staff, and unwillingness to schedule an appointment in a timely way for a problem that turned out to be serious and emergent.
Maybe that's not the case across the board, and I've looked at an unrepresentative sample. But practice managers and practitioners would do well to pay attention to all apparently sincere reviews, especially if there are commonalities. Because for every unhappy client who writes a review, there are probably fifty who are telling all their friends about the same problem. And positive reviews can be a reminder of where the doctor's or practice's strengths lie.
I think with these things, like anything else, it's fairly obvious who is disgruntled/vengeful and who is writing a fair/balanced critique. You have to weed out the crazies and stick with reviewers you like. Yelp is more of a community where you can learn about the person reviewing, which is useful. It's not anonymous at all.
On Line review forums are not accurate and rarely if att all cehcked for accuracy
You want to talk to the clints you have and the clients you lost to see what your problmes are not some anynomous poting site.
Really, online reviews are the only option clients have. Suing a vet is beyond the means of almost everyone. That guy who got the $39K award in California spent over $300k getting it.
Online reviews and the vet boards are the only real recourse for veterinary consumers.
As for weeding out the important reviews from the ones you are better off ignoring -- my current vet hospital (I say hospital because they provide both regular care and 24-hour ER care) which I think is very good, has some bad reviews -- people complaining about long waiting times and high cost.
I really urge people to ignore those complaints. All you need is one experience with poor QUALITY and you will realize just how petty and unimportant your complaints about waiting time and cost are. I mean, within reason -- if the cost is at the high end of market rates, AND you routinely have to wait 15-30 minutes to be seen for a routine non-ER appointment, BUT you have NO complaints about the quality of care and the place is clearly superior in quality (for example, my vets using only licensed technicians and appropriate assignment of duties), then really, you should not complain about the prices or waiting a little while.
Those are just the wrong reasons to leave a vet. There is a reason why the waiting room is full in spite of the high prices, and the reason is QUALITY OF CARE
http://www.vetecon.com/vetec/article/articleDetail...