Use reviews to find questions worth asking.

Sort the comment by what it describes

When reading a review, note the subject. Was it about getting a reply, understanding a bill, or a claimed change in health? Keep those questions apart.

Look for details you can ask about: the type of visit, how questions were handled, and what was included in the fee. Do not fill in gaps the comment leaves open.

Use the state medical board’s record to check the doctor’s licence and any action the board took over problems with their work.

Look for any action the board took over problems with the doctor’s work. A record showing no board action does not establish the quality of the doctor’s care.

Turn each missing detail into a question

• Does this review describe the same kind of visit I am considering?
• What would I still need to ask about follow-up?
• Can the service explain the billing terms in writing?
• Have I checked the named clinician’s board record?

Seals that look official and promises to return your money can be fake on health pages, warns the Federal Trade Commission, known as the FTC.

Treat a seal as something to check, rather than a reason to stop checking.

Keep a short list of open questions. If a review answers none of them, it may be less useful for your choice than it first seemed.