1 in 4 check online doctor ratings

And 59 percent of people think those ratings are at least "somewhat important."

USA Today: Do You Check Online Doctor Ratings? 1 in 4 Consumers Do
Online ratings of physicians haven't caught on as much as ratings of books, movies and plumbers, but a majority of consumers know they exist and one in four consulted them when picking a primary care doctor in 2012, new research shows. Just 5 percent have rated a doctor themselves online, according to a research letter published Tuesday in JAMA, a journal of the American Medical Association (Painter, 2/18).

Reuters: Most People Say Rating Sites 'Important' When Picking Doctors
When picking a new doctor, most people factor the reviews left on rating websites into their decision, according to a new study. Researchers found 59 percent of people said those physician-rating sites were at least "somewhat important" when choosing a doctor (Seaman, 2/18).