Peer Nominations and the Process Behind Top Doctors

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First of all let me thank you for being here for all of us unaware of the very best a doctor has to offer to his field of practice and to the patients who count on him/her for comfort, healing, and faith in wellness. We have to have somewhere to turn for knowledge of our needs and knowing who has that knowledge to satisfy our desperate longing to be better. I am grateful for this site and for giving us choices. A chance to look ahead for a better life. Thank you for letting us know this place exist and that some of the best doctors in the nation are at our fingertips. I have chosen to further my research in finding a great Pulmonary specialist with your help. My husband has suffered long and hard with all he has been through and deserves the best life has to offer. I think with this site we can finally find the help he has needed for a long time. He suffered a massive MI in 2004 which lead to a 3x bypass. Besides the three hernia repairs, he of course has had maintenance for his heart. Last December 2010 a tumor caused yet another surgery. This one from cancer in his right lung, lower lobe. The lobe was removed along with two lymph nodes. He is STILL sore from that. Then July 5th this year, after being very ill ALL NIGHT LONG and into the early am hours, he suffered a seizure. The worse I have ever seen (I worked in the medical field for many years). He made it to the hospital to the doctor's amazement, alive. They strapped his hands and legs for six of eight days in the ICU. Finally on the third day he recognized his 'Tinker'. That's what he calls me. The seizure was never diagnosed. They have no clue what caused it, and he had every test known to man. Then on September 16th he had to have an ICD implant for his heart. Thank God he consented to having this done. It is like having a team of EMTs walking behind him with a 'defibrillator' in tow. The problem? We don't know. I know he has had a cluster of horrible mishaps, but seems to me he would have a bit more energy and not be so winded all the time. Some days are better than others. Few and far between are the good days. Humidity gets to him. If anything can be done to help my husband then I pray we are looking at the best team of doctors possible to help him live for many more years to come. He loves life and just keeps on keeping on. It breaks my heart to see him suffer with this 'not enough air in thing'. I know missing that bottom lobe doesn't help, but it seems to me that he should be able to breath without feeling like he is going to smother to death before he gets another breath. If a liver can be transplanted, a heart, and all these other great procedures, then there has to be something that can be done for him. This wonderful man has been in my life as my husband for over forty-seven years. We are sole mates and I am not ready to give him up or give up on great doctors who make it possible for live and living. Really living. I wonder about 'stem cell' procedures. Sincere & desperate.

Margaret Williams of MS 1:56AM November 15, 2011

Placing deceased doctors on this list exposes patients to little harm but does indicate a woeful lack of scrutiny by Castle Connelly and USNews. However, placing a non-board certified doctor in the “Top 1%” suggesting competency to unsuspecting patients when Castle Connelly is aware of reports by injured patients at www.kidneytransplantkiller.com and http:/www.vitals.com/terms?next=doctors%2FDr_Jihad_Kaouk.html and http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/43516/Dr-Jihad-Kaouk-CLEVELAND-OH.html begs the question: WHY??? What motivates Castle Connelly to mislead and “direct” patients to doctors with such negative outcomes? Who is compensating Castle Connolly for placing incompetent, dangerous, negligent, and even deceased doctors at the top of USNews rankings? Castle Connolly and USNews are knowingly misleading prospective patients and, in effect, directing them to surgeons whose patients have documented permanent injuries with extremely negative outcomes. These rankings by US News and Castle Connolly represent not only false advertising but criminal negligence. I believe Mr Connolly would not seek the surgical services of the doctor described as permanently injuring many patients described in links above; why, then, would he place this doctor in the top 1%? The actions by Castle Connolly and USNews demands an investigation to learn the motivation for such misleading reporting. US News and Castle Connolly owe their readers (and perhaps injured patients who relied upon these rankings) a public apology.

Kaouk Victim of PA 7:46AM October 07, 2011

While searching for a phone number for Dr. Gary Bos I ran into this site and was extremely pleased to find that you've included him among the top one percenters in orthopedics.
After a major auto accident 26 years ago I lucked out when, unconscious, I was hauled off to OHSU in Portland, OR and, still many miles away from consciousness, was placed under the care of this amazing guy.
I have yet to come up with a way to fully express my gratitude for the quality of the repair work he did in an impressive number of operations over many weeks.
Not only is he a fine surgeon, he is a great human being, he truly cares about his patients and is someone I'm proud to know and have as a friend.
I've always figured that, particularly since the guy who hit my car was killed in the accident, I got the better end of the encounter. And I've been impressed that the luck of the draw put me under Gary's care.
As impressed as I was then with the kind way fate handled me, to find 25 years later that I was randomly put under the care of one of the top men in his field suggests that for some reason things sometimes work out - and in a spectacular manner.
Thanks again, Gary!!

Skip N of OR 8:26PM October 01, 2011

your site on doctors is all screwed up

ralph of TX 5:39PM September 26, 2011

If you look closely at your local area you will find that large physician multispecialty groups have multiple doctors in the list from a self referral process and then use it as an advertisement. Dose not take long to understand the process. Our hospital physicians are already coordinating next years numbers to compete with the other local hospital. This is a disgrace. The previous methodology of randomly contacting doctors for recommendations had some degree of fairness.

JOE of CT 11:07AM August 26, 2011

I have read how you come up with these top rated doctors and I really do not understand how it can be completely true...Due to the fact that doctors vote for each other rather than results being from the outcome of a doctors work. I am not sure this is the best way to get the top doctors.

Bee of NC 2:30PM August 18, 2011

I think you need to improve your pics on top docs. Just looking at teh list at our hospital, 9 of the doctoprs are no longer there. Wonder how you do this

frank wilkonson of IL 10:24AM August 10, 2011

Placing deceased doctors on this list exposes patients to little harm but does indicate a woeful lack of scrutiny by Castle Connelly and USNews. However, placing a non-board certified doctor in the “Top 1%” suggesting competency to unsuspecting patients when Castle Connelly is aware of reports by injured patients at www.kidneytransplantkiller.com and http:/www.vitals.com/terms?next=doctors%2FDr_Jihad_Kaouk.html and http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/43516/Dr-Jihad-Kaouk-CLEVELAND-OH.html begs the question: WHY??? What motivates Castle Connelly to mislead and “direct” patients to doctors with such negative outcomes? Who is compensating Castle Connolly for placing incompetent, dangerous, negligent, and even deceased doctors at the top of USNews rankings? Castle Connolly and USNews are knowingly misleading prospective patients and, in effect, directing them to surgeons whose patients have documented permanent injuries with extremely negative outcomes. These rankings by US News and Castle Connolly represent not only false advertising but criminal negligence. I believe Mr Connolly would not seek the surgical services of the doctor described as permanently injuring many patients described in links above; why, then, would he place this doctor in the top 1%? The actions by Castle Connolly and USNews demands an investigation to learn the motivation for such misleading reporting. US News and Castle Connolly owe their readers (and perhaps injured patients who relied upon these rankings) a public apology.

Kaouk Victim of PA 2:41PM August 08, 2011

I have no ideas how these ratings come about, but some of them are as far from
reality as possible. Perhaps the doctors vote for each other, in which case no one is going to speak the truth. Two top rated urologists at the Cleveland Clinic have injured people I know personally as well as my son and sister in law.One of them is not even board certified and his credentials have been questioned. How can all these patient's injuries be ignored? The Cleveland Clinic just built a
new heart center so they can be voted number one in heart care. A building
doesn't make them best, it is all for show.

Cindy Greiner of OH 10:44AM August 08, 2011

I as well as at least 6 other people I know have gone (or requested a visit with physicians) at your number 1 rated medical center (Mayo) - as well as NOT getting a diagnosis - throughout the visits there was no communication from the docs as to why they ordered tests, what they were thinking, etc. at the end of the week - I ended up with what md's call garbage can diagnosis' - spent alot of money (I dided have) on food, loging and transportation. They completely dismissed the reason I was referred for and gave me an impossible recommendation - considering I don't drive, don't have any money, and would not be able to accomplish what they recommended. When my husband and I asked about my abnormal labs and imaging and my mounting symptoms - they said they didn't know. This fiasco cost over $20,000 - what a joke. A year later my symptoms are much worse - my local docs have found some cancer and are trying to figure out the reason for my 65lb unexplained weight loss - so there you go - thats what Mayo gives you. At least I'm not lone, since then I have heard of at least 6 people, several who have already died, some with leukemia, etc. that either had the same experience or were rejected by Mayo when their local doc requested an appt for them. Docs nominate docs? Do you remember high school? No different - maybe your intentions are logical but with human nature your results will be very flawed - I suggest a metric driven measurement - new patients, correct diagnosis', sucess based measurements with strick criteria - yes, more work and effort, but definetely more accurate results - don't encourage wasting more mis-spent medical costs - encourage quality and RESPONSIBILITY and making docs ACCOUNTABLE for their performance!!!!!!
Unfortunately, I'll probably not be alive to see it.
Please excuse mispelling and any bad grammer - I had to type fast. Thanks

Jill Dobbs of IL 2:03PM August 06, 2011