The importance of review verification

Trust in the healthcare sector remains a challenge. Healthcare review platform Doctify explains how it tackles the issue in its latest trust report. 

The issue of trust in healthcare has been at the forefront since the COVID-19 pandemic. In an article published in the journal Societies at the end of 2024, the authors point out that declining public trust in both healthcare and other institutions has been linked to increased questioning of science and experts. 

“This decline in public trust in health authorities has been widely observed and is associated with significant consequences for public health outcomes, including reduced compliance with health recommendations and lower engagement with the healthcare system,” they write. 

To tackle growing concerns around trust in the healthcare sector, in its latest trust report, healthcare review platform Doctify explores the importance of review verification. 

“No matter where you are in the world, the need to find someone you can trust with your health is universal,” said Stephanie Eltz, the firm’s chief executive and co-founder. 

“So many people now search for and rely on healthcare reviews online, and people turn to these not for convenience, but for reassurance to know they’re putting their health, their body, or someone they love in safe hands,” she added. 

The report finds that 50 million patients viewed verified Doctify reviews online last year, and all of the reviews are verified (by mobile number) and screened with advanced fraud detection. 

Less than 1% (0.7%) of all verified reviews are rejected by Doctify’s independent clinical governance committee. Of those, the vast majority (80%) are rejected due to gibberish or errors, and the remaining 20% are not shown on the website because they breach the company’s acceptable use policy. 

Fraud prevention 

The report clarifies its process of review verification, ensuring that what people read reflects real experiences from real patients. 

“Transparency is at the centre of everything we do – from the way reviews are collected and verified to how they’re displayed online, our systems are built to make honesty, fairness and accountability the standard,” said Eltz. 

“Every verified review is a real patient story – a voice that helps someone else make a confident, informed decision. Patients make some of the most important decisions of their lives when choosing a doctor, and verified reviews help them do so with confidence.”

Doctify’s fraud prevention system combines technology, human insight and independent oversight, flagging any reviews with personal details, inappropriate language, misleading information or nonsense text, to ensure clarity. This protects patients from misinformation, gives clinicians fair and honest feedback, and upholds the integrity of every choice made on the platform.

“All patient reviews are completely anonymous, so people can feel safe and confident when sharing their feedback with us. We are committed to protecting the privacy of the patients and providers who rely on our platform,” said the firm’s chief technology officer Igor Stelmachenko. 

As another recent paper on trust in the healthcare sector concluded: “Conceptual clarity and methodological creativity are critical to advancing health‐related trust research. Although rigorous research in this area is challenging, the essential role of trust in population health necessitates continued grappling with the topic.”