"Best Doctors" Lists - What They Really Represent

PROMISES

Best doctor lists are compiled to assist consumers in finding the “best” physician or surgeon. Most physicians and surgeons featured on these lists are quality professionals.

PITFALLS

• It is impossible to find objective criteria that can be used to determine the BEST medical professional. In reality, there is NO meaningful list that ranks the quality of physicians.
• The listing of a medical professional on a “best” list offers no guarantee of quality.
• Most lists are prepared by magazines interested primarily in advertising dollars and circulation. While most try to produce accurate lists there is no readily available criteria to rank physicians and surgeons by quality.
  • Popular vote by the public lacks objectivity as each person has limited contact with the medical community.
  • Voting by peers is not much better as each physician may be aware of the quality of peers in his /her hospital but not those across town or those who are office-based.
  • Votes can be actively solicited by physicians and surgeons who recognize being on “the Best List” has significant marketing value. We have had this experience.
  • Magazines sell advertising to many of those professionals featured on the “Best List.” Advertising in a magazine may be a factor in such a listing.
  • There are commercial ventures that publish “Best Lists” as their primary business. Many charge fees for inclusion on their lists.
  • No professional organization ranks its membership on the basis of quality - or who's “best.”
• Internet listings of physicians are purchased by each of the physicians. The fine print clearly states that inclusion on the site is not an endorsement of that physician but instead is for informational purposes.
  
• “Best lists” serve to boost the egos and practices of those on the list - which is the greatest tangible benefit of this activity.