Predominance of Non-Clinical Complaints in 1-Star Reviews of Mohs Surgeons: A Qualitative Analysis.

Background: Online reviews influence patient health care decision-making and perceptions of clinicians. Although Mohs micrographic surgery is a common dermatologic procedure, the nature of negative online reviews for Mohs surgeons remains poorly understood.

Objective: To characterize negative 1-star Yelp reviews of Mohs surgeons.

Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 7,031 Yelp reviews for Mohs micrographic surgeons was conducted. One-star reviews specific to Mohs surgeons were included. Each review was coded for clinical and nonclinical complaints. Statistical comparisons were made between surgical and nonsurgical patients, and between cosmetic and noncosmetic patients.

Results: Of 670 reviews included, 91.2% were written by patients who did not undergo surgery. Nonclinical complaints (81.2%) were more prevalent than clinical complaints (18.8%). Surgical patients were more likely to report clinical issues such as scarring and pain ( p < .05), while nonsurgical patients were more likely to cite nonclinical issues including staff professionalism and communication. Cosmetic patients more frequently complained about cosmetic outcomes, bedside manners, and billing issues ( p < .001).

Conclusion: Negative reviews of Mohs surgeons are primarily driven by nonclinical concerns, especially among nonsurgical patients. These findings highlight the importance of communication and staff interactions in patient satisfaction.