Best Doctors, Inc. selected 181 physicians from the University Health System for its 2014 “Best Doctors in America List.” Though Best Doctors is a privately owned online database unavailable to the public for free, a press release issued Monday by the Health System listed the names of all 181 University physicians and their areas of specialty.
“It gives props to the institution where you are,
or where you work, and shows that the institution
and shows that the institution or private practice
has achieved a lot of support,” he said.
The list was created based on results from a survey in which more than 45,000 U.S. physicians who previously won the award were asked, “If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer?” Results from the survey were then assessed by Best Doctors before the final list was released.
Best Doctors spokesperson Justin Joseph said the list is one of the most important outputs of the corporation, which brings together top physicians in each field.
“Doctors have [a] unique, ‘inside’ perspective about who’s at the top of their profession, who’s up on the latest advances in their field, and therefore, where they personally would turn for state-of-the-art care when faced with a serious medical problem,” Joseph said in an email.
Michael Moxley, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist at the University, also emphasized the list can help doctors by referring them to physicians in other specialties.
“I think the primary purpose of this list is so that other doctors across the country, if they need a referral, can use this database and look to this to find doctors in different areas of expertise, because it’s a list that’s created by peers,” Moxley said. “I may not know someone in Arizona that can do certain cardiac procedures but, if I use this list, it’s a good place to find referrals.”
Moxley also noted the list is highly valued by the hospitals, universities and other institutions that employ those listed.
“It gives props to the institution where you are or where you work, and shows that the institution or private practice has achieved a lot of support,” he said.
The list is especially reflective of the University’s superior medical institutions, Moxley said.
“If we have 181 doctors on the list out of the approximate 900 faculty that we have in the School of Medicine, I think that’s a fairly significant proportion,” Moxley said. “It speaks well of the institution in terms of support and the ability to have these kinds of [doctors] working [at the University].”
Susan Pollart, family medicine professor and senior associate dean for faculty affairs and faculty development for the Health System, echoed Moxley’s view that the large number of faculty honored by Best Doctors demonstrates the quality of medical education and practice at the University.
“Only about 5 percent of U.S. doctors in more than 40 medical subspecialties are selected for each Best Doctors list, so to have 181 of our physicians, which represents about 20 percent of our physician faculty, named to the list speaks to the quality and care offered by those doctors practicing in the U.Va. Health System,” she said.
Researchers from Best Doctors conduct the poll every two years. Doctors are not paid to be listed and cannot nominate or vote for themselves.
“These are the doctors that other doctors recognize as the best in their fields,” Joseph said.
Founded in 1989 by two physicians, Best Doctors, Inc. is a global health corporation which works with more than 30 million members. Best Doctors offers additional consulting to ensure members receive the best diagnoses and treatment plans by providing access to the most elite physicians in the medical community.
“The database of the top 5 percent of physicians in over 450 specialty areas is the foundation of Best Doctors’ expert second opinion service,” Joseph said.
Best Doctors, Inc. also offers services to Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies through employee benefits and provides medical insurance in more than 40 countries.
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