Physician Profiles
Healthgrades helps Americans find the right doctor for their unique needs by making profiles available for nearly every physician in America. Every doctor or other healthcare professional who has a listing with the National Professional Identifier Registry has a free profile on Healthgrades. Physicians can claim their free profile to add further detail including photos and care philosophy. There are advertising options available for hospitals or medical groups to promote their healthcare professionals on our site, and these profiles are clearly marked as sponsored profiles.
Ratings and Reviews
Profiles on Healthgrades feature more than 10 million patient ratings. Along with comprehensive data about a doctor's qualifications, it's important to know what real patients say about their experiences with a healthcare professional. That's why Healthgrades takes a series of steps to protect the quality and integrity of our patient reviews. Learn more about reviews on Healthgrades and our community guidelines.
Healthgrades Choice
Healthgrades leverages our unique insights to help consumers understand the most important factors they should consider when choosing a healthcare professional.
Doctors and other healthcare providers who meet these criteria have not paid for or influenced this designation in any way. Those who do not have the Healthgrades Choice designation may also meet these qualifications but Healthgrades may not have access to the data to satisfy our verification process.
The Healthgrades Choice designation highlights professionals who verifiably meet the following criteria according to our internal data:
Experience: The doctor or other healthcare professional meets a minimum required threshold for experience with specific conditions and procedures as determined by medical claims data. This data is updated once every 6 months.
Hospital Quality: The doctor or other healthcare professional treats patients at hospitals that meet a minimum threshold for quality as determined by Healthgrades Hospital Ratings & Awards Methodologies. This data is updated once a year.
Patient Satisfaction: The doctor or other healthcare professional meets a minimum threshold for good patient ratings and reviews on Healthgrades.
Medical Sanctions: The healthcare professional’s medical license has not been suspended, revoked, or surrendered. This data is updated twice a month.
Healthgrades Choice™
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Patient Favorite
Healthgrades is dedicated to providing transparent, high-quality insights to make searching for a healthcare provider more straightforward. The "Patient Favorite" badge reflects this commitment, serving as a beacon to help our users quickly and confidently identify top-performing providers.
Here's what makes a provider a "Patient Favorite":
- Routine Care: Patient Favorite recognizes providers offering routine care, those who are often the first point of contact for patients. This includes family and internal physicians, dentists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, geriatricians, nurses, PAs, optometrists, and more.
- Patient Feedback:
- The provider must have a star rating of 4.0 or higher.
- The provider must have a minimum of 6 total reviews.
- The provider must have received at least 5 written reviews in the past 5 years.
- License Integrity: Healthcare professionals must hold an active medical license free from sanctions or malpractice claims.
The "Patient Favorite" designation is more than just a badge, it's a trusted marker for patients, signaling a provider's commitment to patient well-being and satisfaction. It's vital to note that providers bearing the badge have neither paid for nor influenced its awarding. Through this designation, Healthgrades applauds and celebrates providers who consistently prioritize exceptional patient care.
Data Sources
Data on healthgrades.com is collected from a variety of sources including the National Professional Identifier Registry, a government directory of all active professionals in the country; patient surveys; claims data from government and third-party sources; and information that comes directly from professionals or practices.
Hospital Quality
Healthgrades measures hospital performance based on patient outcomes. Our methodologies adjust for each patient’s risk factors, such as age, gender, and medical condition. To ensure the accuracy and relevance of our data analysis, we annually review our ratings methodology and the process by which we evaluate clinical quality. Learn More
Here you will find answers to common frequently asked questions about Healthgrades.
Still not finding what you're looking for? Please visit our Help Center for additional support.
About Healthgrades
What is Healthgrades?
Healthgrades is the leading online resource for patients to find and connect with the right doctor or hospital. We help millions of people each year find and connect with healthcare providers. You can search for top-rated doctors or hospitals on our site, read what other patients have to say about them, and book an appointment. We also have a large library of slideshows, articles, and videos to help you learn more about the specific condition you have or the procedure you need.
Is Healthgrades free?
Yes. Healthgrades is advertiser supported and therefore free for consumers to use. If you are a provider, click here to claim your free profile.
Does Healthgrades have a privacy policy?
Yes, you can read our privacy policy here.
How do I contact customer service?
To contact our customer support team, please fill out our online form, here.
Doctors and Providers
Can you contact my doctor for me?
We are not able to leave a message for your doctor. We recommend that you contact your doctor by the phone number listed on their profile.
Can you give me my doctor's email address?
Unfortunately, we don't have access to individual doctor's email addresses. The best we can do is to point you to their phone number and address on our website.
How do I find a doctor on your site?
You can search for a doctor on any page of our website with the search bar at the top of the page. You’ll be able to search by specialty and your preferred location. You can also filter by insurance, distance, availability, patient reviews, gender, age and specialty.
Why isn't my doctor listed on your site?
We currently list every doctor in the country who has an active profile with the National Provider Identifier Registry, a government directory of all active providers in the country. If your doctor does not have a current NPI profile they will not have a listing on our site.
Where does your doctor data come from?
Data on Healthgrades.com is collected from a variety of sources including the National Provider Identifier Registry, a government directory of all active providers in the country, surveys directly from patients, claims data from government and third party sources, as well as information that comes directly from providers or practices.
Are doctors paying to be on this site?
Every provider who has a listing with the National Provider Identifier Registry has a free profile on Healthgrades | Find a Doctor - Doctor Reviews - Online Doctor Appointments . There are advertising options available for hospitals or medical groups to promote their providers on our site, and these profiles are clearly marked as sponsored profiles.
How can I correct information on a doctor’s profile?
If you notice information on a doctor's profile that you believe is incorrect, please let us know by using our online form. Please include name of provider, address, phone and fax number and any other information that is inaccurate. Doctors can also claim and manage their own free profile by registering at update.healthgrades.com.
What is the Healthgrades Choice badge?
The Healthgrades Choice designation is reserved for doctors and healthcare specialists that normally perform procedures in hospitals in the areas of:
The designation is based on the following factors: experience with specific conditions or procedures, the quality of hospitals at which they practice, patient satisfaction, and medical standing.
Those professionals who do not have the Healthgrades Choice designation may also meet these qualifications but Healthgrades may not have access to the data to satisfy our verification process. Doctors and healthcare professionals can NOT pay or influence to receive the Healthgrade Choice badge.
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Neurology
- Urology
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Pulmonology
- Podiatry
- Neurosurgery
- Rheumatology
The designation is based on the following factors: experience with specific conditions or procedures, the quality of hospitals at which they practice, patient satisfaction, and medical standing.
Those professionals who do not have the Healthgrades Choice designation may also meet these qualifications but Healthgrades may not have access to the data to satisfy our verification process. Doctors and healthcare professionals can NOT pay or influence to receive the Healthgrade Choice badge.
What is the Patient Favorite badge?
The Healthgrades Patient Favorite designation is reserved for primary care doctors and healthcare professionals that have received exemplary patient ratings and reviews.
These individuals must have an aggregate rating of at least four (4) stars, a minimum of six (6) ratings with at least five (5) containing comments, all within the last five (5) years. Doctors and healthcare professionals can NOT pay or influence to receive the Patient Favorite badge.
These individuals must have an aggregate rating of at least four (4) stars, a minimum of six (6) ratings with at least five (5) containing comments, all within the last five (5) years. Doctors and healthcare professionals can NOT pay or influence to receive the Patient Favorite badge.
What Healthgrades designation is better, Healthgrades Choice or Patient Favorite?
One designation is not better than the other. They are both unique in their own way.
The Healthgrades Choice designation focuses mostly on specialists (like cardiologists, gastroenterologists, etc.) that conduct specific procedures. The designation is based on the following factors: experience with specific conditions or procedures, the quality of hospitals at which they practice, patient satisfaction, and medical standing.
The Patient Favorite designation focuses mostly on primary care and other providers of preventative and wellness-focused medical services (like family medicine). Qualification is determined on patient ratings, reviews and experience only.
The Healthgrades Choice designation focuses mostly on specialists (like cardiologists, gastroenterologists, etc.) that conduct specific procedures. The designation is based on the following factors: experience with specific conditions or procedures, the quality of hospitals at which they practice, patient satisfaction, and medical standing.
The Patient Favorite designation focuses mostly on primary care and other providers of preventative and wellness-focused medical services (like family medicine). Qualification is determined on patient ratings, reviews and experience only.
Ratings and Reviews
How do I leave a review for a doctor?
To leave a review for a doctor, you first need to find their profile on our site at www.healthgrades.com. On their profile, click the option under their name that says "LEAVE A REVIEW", and you should be directed to a pop-up form to fill out your review.
How do I remove a review I submitted?
If you created a Healthgrades account with password when submitting your review, you can simply log back into your account, and select ‘My Reviews’ from the menu. From this page, you will be able to remove or edit your review.
The alternative option is to email our customer service team at Reviews@healthgrades.com with your email address and doctor’s name you reviewed.
The alternative option is to email our customer service team at Reviews@healthgrades.com with your email address and doctor’s name you reviewed.
How do I edit a review I submitted?
If you created a Healthgrades account with password when submitting your review, you can simply log back into your account, and select ‘My Reviews’ from the menu. From this page, you will be able to edit your review.
An alternative option to edit an existing review is to submit a brand-new one using the same email address. That new review will replace the previous one.
An alternative option to edit an existing review is to submit a brand-new one using the same email address. That new review will replace the previous one.
How do I flag a comment for review?
To flag a review which you believe displays inappropriate content or privacy information, click on the ellipsis (…) in the top right corner of the comment box and select “Flag Comment.” Complete the questionnaire and click “Submit Flag.” Once submitted, the customer service team will be notified of the flagged comment and will review based on our review guidelines.
Does Healthgrades monitor which reviews get published?
We do look at the reviews to make sure they comply with our guidelines. We’re committed to maintaining the quality and integrity of our reviews, so each review does go through a confirmation and auditing process. All content, both from patients and providers, is audited for inappropriate content prior to being published.
Will my review be posted anonymously?
When you leave a review, you have the option to include your name, city and state. If you choose not to fill out this information, your review will remain anonymous. Although we request your email address to send you confirmation of your review, this information will not be made public.
Why didn't my review get posted?
It’s possible that your review is still going through our confirmation process. If it hasn’t been posted in five days, it’s possible it wasn’t published because it violated our guidelines. You can review those guidelines here. Any reviews that include name-calling, personal attacks, racist comments, threats, obscenities, phone numbers, email addresses or URLs will not be posted on our site.
Why doesn't my doctor have a star rating?
If a doctor doesn't have a star rating on their profile, it's more than likely because a patient has not left a review for them yet. If you’d like to leave feedback for your doctor, you can be the first to leave a review for them on Healthgrades.com.
Why doesn't my doctor have written reviews?
Not everyone who provides feedback on a doctor includes a written review, so some providers only have star ratings while others have star ratings with written reviews. If you’d like to share your feedback, you can be the first patient to leave a written review for your doctor.
Do doctors pay for good reviews?
No, doctors cannot pay for good reviews.
Do doctors pay to have bad reviews removed?
No, doctors cannot pay to have negative reviews removed from our site.
Why can I view only some reviews?
Leaving a comment review is optional. Some reviews will only list star ratings if there are no comment reviews. If you’d like to leave a comment review for your doctor, be the first to leave them a review on Healthgrades.com.
Can I leave more than one review?
We don’t allow users to submit multiple reviews for one provider. Each time a user submits a new review for the same provider, the new review will appear and the older ones will be removed. You can, however, submit more than one review if you’re submitting for more than one provider.
Why did Healthgrades post my first and last name on my review?
When you leave a review, you have the option to include your name, city and state. If you choose not to fill out this information, your review will remain anonymous.
Are there rules on what I can and cannot say in my review?
Yes, and those are listed within our community guidelines. Any reviews that include name-calling, personal attacks, racist comments, threats, obscenities, phone numbers, email addresses or URLs will not be posted on our site.
Appointments
How can I schedule an appointment on Healthgrades?
There are three ways you can use Healthgrades to schedule an appointment.
- Some providers have an online scheduling option within their profile, so you can schedule online that way.
- Some providers have an appointment request option integrated into their profile, where you request the appointment and our Healthgrades teams book it for you with the doctor.
- All providers have a phone number listed on their profile, and you can always call their office directly.
How long after requesting an appointment will someone get back to me?
It depends on how you booked the appointment. Generally, you should hear back within a few business days. If you called the doctor directly from our site and you haven’t heard back in a few days, try calling them again.
Does Healthgrades send me an appointment reminder?
You will get an appointment reminder, and it will either be from Healthgrades or from the provider you’ve made the appointment with.
How do I cancel my appointment?
Please call the doctor's office directly to cancel your appointment.
Healthgrades Consumer User Accounts
What can I do with a Healthgrades account?
A Healthgrades account allows you to save doctors and request/book online appointments for featured doctors.
How do I reset my password?
You can reset your password by selecting the "forgot your password" link on the login page. Please be sure you are using the correct email address. If you do not receive an email within a day, the address you entered is probably not the one you used to sign up.
Emails from Healthgrades
Why am I getting emails from Healthgrades?
There are a number of reasons you could be getting emails from us. If you reviewed a doctor on our site, shared a health story, or signed up for a Healthgrades account, you’ll receive our emails.
How do I opt-out of emails from Healthgrades?
You can opt-out of Healthgrades emails by visiting our secure email subscription manager here.
Does Healthgrades have an email newsletter?
We have a biweekly newsletter that covers a variety of health topics. You can sign up for this newsletter here.
Healthgrades Search
What is the "Most Relevant" sort option?
When seeking a doctor on Healthgrades, you can search by name, specialty, condition, or procedure. You can further refine your search with filters including practice area, ratings, and insurance accepted. Sort options include closest, highest rated, and a proprietary “most relevant” sort.
Relevance is determined by looking at a combination of experience, satisfaction ratings, hospital quality scores, distance, and appointment availability.
Relevance is determined by looking at a combination of experience, satisfaction ratings, hospital quality scores, distance, and appointment availability.
What are "Featured" provider listings?
Featured listings on Healthgrades are a separate advertising product that allows profiles for doctors and other professionals from partner health systems and medical practices to appear as paid listings above the organic marketplace search results. These advertisements are clearly marked as “Featured.”
All featured profiles must still remain relevant to the search criteria to be shown in a paid slot. A healthcare professional’s participation or non-participation in Sponsored Results does not impact their ranking in the core marketplace search results. Note that doctors who are featured in the sponsored results will still appear in the organic search results.
All featured profiles must still remain relevant to the search criteria to be shown in a paid slot. A healthcare professional’s participation or non-participation in Sponsored Results does not impact their ranking in the core marketplace search results. Note that doctors who are featured in the sponsored results will still appear in the organic search results.
How are "Top Rated" provider results determined?
Some search results pages on Healthgrades.com may present "Top Rated" results, although many factors should be considered when choosing a provider, "Top Rated" results present only providers that have a 4-Star or above patient experience rating.
Experience Check & Medical License Public Record Check
What is experience check?
Experience Check is a quick and reliable way to see if a provider you are considering has experience in treating your condition or the procedure you need.
What is Medical License Public Record Check?
Medical License Public Record Check is a search feature that gives you a quick glimpse into a provider’s history, including any malpractice claims, disciplinary actions, and board actions.
Where do I find experience check or Medical License Public Record Check?
Both Experience Check and Medical License Public Record Check features can be found on a provider profile, right about their review section. Together, these features provide comprehensive insights into a provider’s qualifications and history to help you make informed healthcare decisions.
How do I use experience check or Medical License Public Record Check?
To use Experience Check, simply navigate to the section. A provider’s known (if any) top procedures and conditions treated will be displayed, as well as the treatment frequency. If you don’t see your specific condition or procedure of interest, you can search for it using the search bar provided. If the provider indicates they treat it, you’ll have a better idea of their experience in that area. If they don’t, there’s an option to search for other providers that may treat the condition or procedure you’re interested in.
To use the Medical License Public Record Check feature, simply toggle to the section and you’ll be presented with information regarding the provider’s history.
To use the Medical License Public Record Check feature, simply toggle to the section and you’ll be presented with information regarding the provider’s history.
Why is my doctor’s experience check blank?
While many doctors and providers do have experience information, some providers may not have anything listed. This is due to a lack of information from medical claims data associated with a provider. To confirm a provider’s experience, contact their office or visit their practice website.
Why are there links to both the licensing board website and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)?
According to the FSMB, they are an organization that represents the state medical and osteopathic regulatory boards within the US. They support the boards in licensing, disciplining and regulating healthcare providers. They also alert state boards when one of their healthcare providers receives a board action in another state. Sometimes there is a delay between the posting of a board action on a state board versus the FSMB, so we suggest checking both websites for further details.
Patient Reviews
Where can I find patient reviews?
Patient reviews can be found on provider profiles on Healthgrades.com. If a provider doesn’t have a star rating, it's an indication that they don’t have any reviews yet. In such cases, you have the opportunity to be the first to leave a review for that provider should you decide to see them.
How do I know a doctor’s reviews are legitimate?
At Healthgrades, we take steps to protect the quality and integrity of our patient reviews. All reviews must comply with community guidelinesDoctors cannot pay to influence reviews. Fraudulent reviews are immediately removed, ensuring our reviews are of the highest integrity.
Why should I review my providers?
Reviewing providers helps others in their healthcare journey. Your feedback can guide others in making informed decisions about their healthcare choices. Plus, it contributes to Healthgrades’ collection of authentic patient experiences.
What’s the best way to manage past reviews I have left on Healthgrades?
Creating an account is the best way to manage your reviews. With an account, you can easily edit or remove a review you’ve left, allowing you to maintain control over the doctor feedback you provide. If you don’t have an account, create one here.
Is my information protected when leaving a review?
You have the option to include your name, city, and state when leaving a review. If you don’t provide this information, your review will be anonymous, ensuring your personal details are protected.
DEI Pledge
What is Healthgrades’ commitment to healthcare equity and inclusion?
Healthgrades is dedicated to ensuring that every user feels valued, respected, and empowered throughout their healthcare journey, regardless of various factors like race, gender identity, sexual identity, disability, education, and socioeconomic status.
How does the LGBTQ+ Affirming Care doctor search work?
Healthgrades’ LGBTQ+ Affirming Care doctor search is a resource designed to connect individuals with healthcare professionals who prioritize diversity and inclusivity in their practice. Simply look for the “LGBTQ+ affirming” badge on provider profiles to identify doctors dedicated to providing compassionate and affirming care to LGTBQ+ communities.