Successful Perth tech business HealthEngine has removed all customer feedback from its website while it conducts a review.
Successful Perth tech business HealthEngine has removed all customer feedback from its website while it conducts a review.
The review follows an investigation by Fairfax, which analysed nearly 50,000 patient reviews and found the business had altered 53 per cent of them in some way.
One review initially read as: "The practice is good. All the doctors I've seen there are good apart from [doctor's name] ... she genuinely comes across like you are wasting her time.”
It was changed to "The practice is good. All the doctors I've seen there are good" and posted on the clinic's webpage.
Another patient originally wrote: "I will use this practice if I have no other option. Receptionist was lovely but the wait and then the doctor checking text messages and not seeming connected with us was disappointing."
This was published as "Receptionist was lovely."
HealthEngine co-founders Marcus Tan and Adam Yap are both Business News 40under40 winners.
In a message posted on the company’s website, Mr Tan said the company did not post negative feedback.
“HealthEngine is not and has never intended to be a traditional ratings and review site,” he said.
“As part of this program, patient feedback about their experience is gathered by HealthEngine and positive feedback is published on the profiles of practices rated highly and recommended by their patients.
“The aim is to bring attention to and celebrate high-performing practices."
Mr Tan said that, under Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency regulations, HealthEngine was obliged to moderate positive feedback.
“This often means removing clinical information, or comments that may identify the patient or a specific practitioner,” he said.
“Negative feedback is not published but rather passed on confidentially and directly to the clinic completely unmoderated to help health practices improve moving forward.
“User trust is paramount to us at HealthEngine and we are conducting an internal and external review of the HealthEngine Practice Recognition System to ensure clarity, compliance and best practice regarding the way in which we review and publish patient comments.”
“In the meantime, we have removed all customer feedback from our site until further notice pending the results of our review.”
