U.S. News publishes patient experience ratings from Fountain Analytics, which aggregates patient reviews from over a hundred sites to compile information about 10 different patient experience metrics. These ratings are not intended as indicators of medical quality — how good a doctor is — but rather reflect patients' feedback on factors such as good communication, clarity of instructions, etc. Patient experience ratings are issued in the context of a specific physician's specialty, as patients tend to rate types of doctors differently. -Health.USNews.com