" Physicians are now the ones under close examination by a new generation of patients
Patients these days are a demanding lot. They insist on the latest procedures, they expect more bang for their buck, and they'll gladly jump ship for a practice that can better accommodate their busy lifestyles. Indeed, as the healthcare industry evolves from a patriarchal system in which doctors did the talking to one that gives patients an equal voice, so too has the population it serves. Technological innovation, new models of delivery, and higher out-of-pocket medical costs have transformed the passive patients of old into consumers as never before."
Actually, patients have always carefully scrutinised their doctor - after all, so much depends on finding the right doctors, that patients have always been willing to invest time, energy and money in finding the right doctor.
However, in the past they had to depend on referrals from their family physician; the doctor's reputation - or "word of mouth" - methods which usually did work well, but were not always reliable.
Today, thanks to Web 2.0, patients find it much easier to research their doctor - and thanks to globalisation, their choices have also improved considerably, so they are not restricted by geographical limitations anymore !
Word of mouth is still big when choosing a new doctor but the internet lets one do more research before the final decision.
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