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University of Utah Health Care now is including consumer ratings on its physician search page, with patient satisfaction scores and comments.

Data comes from more than 40,000 patient surveys administered by Press Ganey. Physicians are rated in nine areas with scores ranging from 1 to 5. University patients generally like their physicians: the lowest score currently is 3.9 and the overall score for physicians is 4.7.

Comments are edited only to remove patient identifiable information on anything that could be libelous or slanderous. So far, 99.5 percent of posted comments are not edited, says Thomas Miller, M.D., chief medical officer.

Patients rate physicians on the likelihood of recommending them, confidence in the physician, time spent with the patient, use of clear language, efforts to include patients in decisions, concern for questions and worries, explanation of conditions, wait times, and friendliness and courtesy.

Physician ratings will not be posted until after six months of employment, with a minimum of 30 surveys necessary before posting. More information is available at http://healthcare.utah.edu/fad.