Doctor navigator doctors rate on the internet

AOK Physician Navigator: Patients can grade physicians on the Internet and make a doctor's choice based on ratings.

(11.09.2010) Since the beginning of 2010 the AOK-Artznavigator already exists. Patients can search for doctors by entering their place of residence and make their own assessments. The health insurance hopes thereby more transparency and a better overview for the patients. A total of 24 million insured members of the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse AOK are called. The central basis should be the experience of the patients. The survey, which can be found at "www.aok-arztnavi.de", was scientifically developed in a multi-stage process.

But how did the doctor-navigator work??
Initially, the offer is limited to Hamburg, Berlin and Thuringia. If the pilot project starts well, all other federal states should come too. Until then, it is only possible for insured persons from the aforementioned federal states to rate their general practitioners and specialists. In the results portal, the doctors are first displayed by distance to the place of residence. With one click you can then in the next step, create a list in which the top-rated doctors are at the top. The more satisfied patients were with their doctors, the better the effect on the so-called ranking. Many gave, the medical care was rather poor overall, so the doctor continues to slide down. With exact figures in percent, the project should go online at the beginning of next year - it is planned that from then on all federal states will be represented in Germany. The answer to the questions takes on average not more than 10 minutes and is done quickly with a few clicks.

It is currently only the AOK health insurance withheld to make the doctors grades. It is planned that, at the latest after the end of the evaluation phase at the beginning of 2012, additional funds will be able to participate in the project in order to put the portal on a broad basis. Barmer GEK is already aiming for a stake in the project. Together with the approximately 24 million AOK insured persons, the "Ärztenavi" would in future offer more than 30 million insured persons the opportunity to evaluate their doctors. To participate, it is necessary to register. Participation is free.

When the pilot project started almost a year ago, there was a great deal of indignation, especially with the medical associations. The doctors did not want to be pilloried by the patients. Above all, it was criticized that the reviews are made subjectively. However, the deputy chairman of the AOK Federal Association, Jürgen Graalmann calmed, "The patients will have no opportunity to make abusive criticism." One has moved away from the concept of offering free input fields. Although these are very popular with the insured, but would bring no real knowledge gains, as it was said. Instead, the offer should be structured.

In the future there should be a total of 33 questions that can be answered. For example, one question is, "Has listened well to the doctor," or has the doctor organized his practice well. After answering the many questions, the crucial question is, "Would you recommend this doctor to your best friend?". Citizens who participate do not have to answer all the questions. Because not everything can always be assessed exactly or was not taken up. But at least 10 answered questions are necessary, so that the doctor's rating is released. The assessed physician also has the option to object to the evaluation. Although then the rating is not released, but then it is visible to all patients that the evaluation was not published due to a contradiction. But that does not work too well.

Doctor navigator necessary.
According to a study by the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO), one in four said that the doctor had not fully addressed the cause of the health problem. In addition, around 22 percent of the total of 3,000 respondents did not feel fully and sufficiently informed by the doctor. One in ten respondents believe that some treatments and examinations at the doctor were unnecessary. Overall, however, around 82 percent of respondents were satisfied or even very satisfied with the doctor's treatment.

The initial, sometimes very sharp criticism, has now given way to toleration or even consents from the ranks of the medical profession. So praised the Federation Association Chief of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, Carl-Heinz Müller, "The questionnaire has been developed to high scientific standards." However, it is necessary to expand the questions to 60 reviews. In the view of the Chairman of the Association of Physicians, the assessments would then be meaningful and help the doctors in quality assurance. But also doubts become loud. Ulrike Dzengel of Independent Patient Counseling said: "There can be no reliable statements here". Because such reviews are very subjective and therefore too inaccurate. In addition, many patients - especially in rural areas - rely on the care by the doctors. There is not much choice.

According to a Health Foundation survey, just 52 percent of doctors have implemented a quality system in their practice. In many medical practices, therefore, many workflows are not clearly regulated. This often lacks the structure of responsibilities. Thus, numerous processes, of which the patients are usually unaware, hardly regulated. For example, anyone who cleans the examination devices, sorts the patients' files or sorts the findings from the laboratory. Even if these processes tend to run in the background, it does not remain hidden from the patient. Because such ambiguities are also noticeable in the waiting times and appointments. But through the physician navigator, patients can accurately assess such quality defects and help physicians to better structure their practice. Often a look from the outside can be helpful.

In the future also evaluation of psychotherapists and dentists possible.
Once the doctor-navigator starts nationwide, other fields of study should be added. In the future, insured persons should also have the opportunity to evaluate dentists and therapists. There seems to be a special need here. After all, things like empathy and listening are particularly important in the two professions mentioned. Currently only AOK insured persons from Berlin, Hamburg and Thuringia from the age of 15 can take part in the pilot phase. (Sb)

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