SOUTH BEND — A lot of us check product ratings before making purchases, but have you ever thought about checking your doctors? There are several web sites that provide background information and patient ratings. Even local doctors are logging onto the sites.

Local doctors realize thousands of people are going to the sites every day to decide where to get medical treatment.

But local doctors and even the founders of the web sites are cautioning people. They say the information you find may not be correct.

People are putting down phone books and logging onto HealthGrade.com and RateMDs.com to find doctors.

Even Dr. Steve Gable, vice president of quality improvement at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, is taking a look.

“We've become more interested in what goes onto the website to make sure it's accurate and meaningful,” said Dr. Gable about HealthGrade.com.

But not all websites are created equal. HealthGrade.com is run by people who have experience in the health care industry and get their information from the state and medical board; whereas, RateMD.com allows anyone to log on and rate a doctor without giving any personal information.

“Sometimes personalities click. Sometimes personalities don't click, which doesn't have much to do with the talent of the physician or the care that is going to be provided,” said Dr. Gable.

John Swatceinski, the co-founder of RateMyProfessor.com, started RateMDs.com in 2004. It gets 600 new ratings a day. He says the listing's accuracy depends on the number of ratings.

“Once a doctor gets ten ratings or so, then it starts to reflect what the overall opinion of the doctor is. If it's one or two, you have to take it with a grain of salt,” said Swatceinski.

Dr. Gable says websites should also list a doctor's credentials.

“Now, not all of those things mean you will have a quality physician. But it tells you they have been scrutinized and gone through the rigors of becoming a physician,” said Dr. Gable.

The sites will also tell doctors how they're doing.

“It will continually test ourselves and bring ourselves to the mark,” said Dr. Gable.

Angie's List is another website that provides business reviews. It just announced that it will add a section to rate doctors. Angie's List is only available to Indianapolis now.

Other sites, like HealthGrade.com and RateMDs.com, do provide ratings and information for area doctors.