National Standards to Rank Physicians Planned

This recent article on a National Standard to Rank Physicans caught my attention. The political backdrop is fairly complex (and rancorous) but it drives at an important issue for patients: how do you pick a good doctor?

I would welcome a new system if its valid, reproducible, and accurate. It would be fantastic for patients to have that meaningful information to rely on when picking a doctor to treat a new illness or condition...informed choice.

How will I be rated? Surgical skill, patient management, outcomes, bedside manner? For the system to succeed, it needs to be flexible enough to go across specialties. The skills sets of a great anesthesiologist are much different than the qualities you need from orthopedic surgeon.

As an orthopedic surgion, i think the most important factors is judgement/ decision making. Do you know when to try one thing before the next, when surgery is necessary, etc. It's not just brain power. (Jerome Groopman discusses this at length his book "How Doctors Think", a great read for patients and physicians alike). The next most important trait is surgical skill. Again, I would welcome a system that could accurately, and reproducibly evaluate these important factors.

What factors do you use to rate your doctors? How do you go about finding a good one?