Thursday, July 9, 2015

How to pick the leading physicians of the world



My "real life" self has been selected as a Top Surgeon in my city by the International Association of Healthcare Professionals (IAHCP). I will be spotlighted in the renowned publication “The Leading Physicians of the World.” Can you imagine?

As you can see, my candidacy [which I did not know was even a remote possibility] was approved on June 11.

The letter goes on to state that the IAHCP highlights and profiles the world’s Top Surgeons. The association features physicians who have demonstrated success and leadership in their profession. It even provides an opportunity to network, collaborate, and share information with other medical professionals from around the globe. [Just what I need—another social network of physicians.]

Inclusion in the book “The Leading Physicians of the World” is not only a tribute to my success, but is also a valuable resource for potential patients who are looking for a Top Surgeon in their area.

There is no charge for this honor.

I’m sure the organization did a lot of research before it approved my candidacy. I wonder how they missed that I’ve been retired from the practice of surgery for more than two years?

I thought this was remarkable, but last year New York Times writer Dr. Abigail Zuger easily topped me.

Last year, she wrote that a relative of hers had been named one of the world’s top physicians. All he had to do was to verify his biographical information, and he would be included in the same book and online reference mentioned above.

The good doctor wasn’t able to do so because unfortunately, he died 16 years ago.

What have we learned here?

As I have said on many occasions [e.g., here and here], one must take all ratings with a pinch of salt. 

Physician ratings? A truckload of salt.

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want my physician/surgeon to be smart and get good results with low complications. I don't care if he/she is a leader or is internationally renown (generally this means does research and is published--may or may not be a good surgeon).

JEN said...

hahahahaha!

frankbill said...

I have been looking IAHCP ratings seen to some question about them scamming health care providers. Some information from this link. http://www.scamorg.com/the-international-association-of-healthcare-professionals-cc

My name is Diana I'm a nurse, while on Linked In I filled a "free" appreciation on line for the International Association of Health Care Professionals, got a persistent ph calls to return the calls because I have been "nominated "and my application was approved and is such an honor and so on. When I called the person congratulated me and explained the benefits of this "honor" was and I asked how I been picked and she told me that one the staff "nominated me" she said she can put me on a "diamond member ship " and it cost $ 34 .mo and one time fee of $ 818.95 and that my profile will go to libraries and MD'S offices ;very crafty enumerated some other benefits what this covers, etc and there is another fee of $ 380 that she will wave.

I also received a letter from them. I am a social worker in a dialysis facility. The letter stated that I had been selected as a Top Social Worker & my candidacy was approved. I confirmed the info online & a week or so later received a phone call from a Joann McGuire wanting to do a personal interview for my biography that would be included in their "Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare" book. I did everything I could to vet this organization. I called them back to make sure the number was a good number. They hook you with the praises of how wonderful and distinguished an honor this is and THEN the package prices are revealed. The Diamond Package which is a mere $789, the Platinum package at $859 and a mere $34.95 monthly membership fee. I turned down all these packages

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Anon, good comment. I agree.

Frank, thanks for the link. It's not cheap to be a top doctor in the world.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! LOL.

Libby said...

Your retirement was the first thing I thought of, but not being American I thought well, maybe it wasn't necessarily for active surgeons, but that wouldn't be of any use for someone searching for a surgeon would it? Maybe some "under the table" surgery? You could cut (hehe) some overhead by doing it in your garage, it would make it less expensive for people. I'm thinking that the researcher/nominator had one job-find an practicing sucker er surgeon.Guess they misunderstood 'practicing'...

Skeptical Scalpel said...

I'm not doing any cutting these days.

Anonymous said...

I was "honored" to receive annual calls from Who's Who to be listed- simply listing was free, then the sales pitch came for the real listing for hundreds of dollars. I must say that I have never seen a Who's Who directory or certificate anyplace

Fortunately they do not cal any more.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

The amazing thing about Who's Who was that it has been around for years and apparently still exists http://www.marquiswhoswho.com/.

Anonymous said...

This scam has been going on for years! It doesn't matter what your profession is, or what your interests are, they WILL find you!
They probably started many years ago, with good intentions, but over the years, they have degenerated into a vanity-driven money sucker! Please check out Who's Who Scams in Wikipedia. Here are a few opening lines:

"A Who's Who scam is a fraudulent Who's Who biographical directory. Who's Who scams involve the selling of "memberships" in fraudulent directories that are created online or through instant publishing services.These fraudulent directories represent thinly veiled moneymaking scams."


Anonymous said...

Sounds like the offer my kids got to be in the Who's Who in High School. Have these organizations been investigated?

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thanks for the tip about Who's Who scams. I don't know if they have ever been investigated. If they publish a book, I'm not sure that a crime has been committed.

Anonymous said...

I received just the same mail and the skeptic in me took me to Google!!
and came across your article-had a good laugh reading about the doc who'd died 16 years ago.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

He must have been really good to still be one of the top physicians of the world 16 years after he died.

Unknown said...

I got one of those today. I scanned their home page and noted one of their most recently listed "leading physicians of the world" was a PA in a small town in upstate New York. I'm sure this particular PA is wonderful, but a "leading physician of the world"?

Spam, spamity spam. One way to tell was there was no way to reply to their gushy letter (which came to me via LinkedIn). I can't even report it as spam.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

He's not a physician, but at least he's alive (as far as we know).

Anonymous said...

I was scammed by Leading Physicians of the world. They continued to debit my credit card for large amounts for 10 months after I categorically stated that I withdrew all consent to debit my credit card. I was a bit lax about checking the credit card statements and when I did I received the shock of my life. American Express is trying to recoup what they can, but can only go back 6 months.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thanks for that interesting bit of information. Caveat emptor.

Unknown said...

they tried to scam me today. Top Doc of Louisiana but I haven't practice in Louisiana in 8 years. Yes, I am well reviewed with 5 stars by 10 reviewers but their letter went directly to spam were it belongs. I hope someday Castle and Connelly Top Doctors in America will call but not yet.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

To get Castle Connelly recognition, you will need to do some lobbying. Read this post I wrote 4 years ago. http://skepticalscalpel.blogspot.com/2011/02/hospital-and-doctor-ratings-junk.html

Anonymous said...

Me, I'm a orthopedic surgeon, too---also retired cause of a septic schock with multi-organ failure and a persisting severe kidney failure. Though I became member of these "L.P.W." in October 2015. The woman I'd talked to told me, that retired doctors are listed separately as a kind of acceptance for honour.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

If you want to waste your money on this after all you have read above, please go ahead.

Anonymous said...

I work at a doctor's office and saw that my boss has received a letter congratulationing him on being selected as LPW. There is no way my boss, a psychiatrist, is a leading physician. All he cares for is money and paid claims. I've seen patients come to him crying and he could care less. It's all about the prescriptions. And numbers.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

That must be a difficult place to work in. I feel for you. You want to scream at the patients and tell them to go elsewhere, but you can't.

Unknown said...

I received the "honor" today too. I'm only just applying for my residency this year and I'm already a "Leading Physician of the World". When I told the lady that I haven't even started practicing she told me even medical students get "recognized". I wonder how many people fall into this trap.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Congratulations. Too bad you didn't receive notice of this sooner so you could have put it on your residency application. I guess the next step is to start recognizing pre-med majors.

Anonymous said...

Fellow coleagues: PLEASE do not fall for this SCAM; if u give them a credit card # you're DOOMED! They kept on charging, WITHOUT my approval at $1,500 per month. Please file a report with the NY AG: Eric Sniederman; form found on the Internet. The perpetrators address is: 181 Freeman Ave. Islip, NY 11751. (631) 650-2499. They would benefit from a long time in Federal Prison!! Liars & fraudsters!

Anonymous said...

https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/International-Association-of-HealthCare-Professionals-Reviews-E954273.htm

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Anon from 11/20. Thanks for the link. I found it very entertaining.

Dr Arshad said...

yes , it seems a big scam , how the hell it is going on unnoticed .

Skeptical Scalpel said...

I guess there is no law against giving out awards. If there was, the entertainment business would collapse.

Anonymous said...

I just got an offer in the mail that I was selected as a Top Doctor by the IAHPC. I am an FP and thought that this was strange since I just closed my practice about 6 months ago. I figured it probably was a scam so I decided to check for info on-line. Thanks to all of the above for comments. I will recycle this piece of mail.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Happy to be of service. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Diane said...

Thank God I decided to Google this "association" after getting a letter at my job today. I work in General surgery here in Houston as a PA and was like...who put my name in this? Thank you for your post. It saved me from the headache of harassment calls. I defiantly wouldn't have fallen for sending money because on the letter they sent me it clearly says "no cost or obligations" lol

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Thanks for commenting. These people are amazing. You might be interested in reading a follow-up post I wrote about my wife being named a top orthopedic surgeon. http://skepticalscalpel.blogspot.com/2016/07/just-in-my-wife-named-top-orthopedist.html

Larry Powell said...

Bwahahaha... Having been retired for 4+ years, I was feeling a little "left out" of medicine these days. Thankfully, I've now been nominated as a "Leading Physician of the World"!!! Wheee!! I think I'll use their postage-paid reply card to tell them: "Although I was born at night, it wasn't LAST night!"

Jonathan said...

I'm glad I found this article, because I recently got a letter from "The International Association of HealthCare Professionals" despite the fact that I'm only about to open the doors of my new acupuncture clinic (been an acupuncturist for over a decade now, but we moved to Hawaii and I'm restarting/rebranding my business).
I find it strange that I was "approved for candidacy" on January 29th, before any of my information was online... kinda creepy really. Glad to know I was right thinking it was a scam! As they say, if it's too good to be true, it's usually a scam.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

I am happy to have helped. Thanks for reading.

GenerallyDisappointed said...

It's FREE Public Relations and Marketing! That's it.

Rankings have always been BS. Including those that spotlight institutions such as Harvard or an Audi.

Joi said...

Thank you everyone for honest information. When I recieved an invitation in the mail I filled it in thinking my name would be added to a directory of health and mental heath professionals. Then came the all too friendly and polished sounding phone follow up and my suspicions elevated so I did not call back. Still curious though I researched and found validation to my caution. What a scam! Thank you everyone again for the warning to other busy health care professionals.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

I am happy to have helped.

Unknown said...

Yes I just got one too haha. I was like "is this real?" Apparently not haha. Thanks, for posting this. I will just burn it next bonfire.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Welcome to the elite club of leading physicians.

Anonymous said...

They're still scamming people every day like me. Do NOT give them your credit card info! Total scam. They'll continue charging your card for bullshit reasons months down the road.

Anonymous said...

Just received mine today for "Top Healthcare Provider". I'm a PA, or more accurately, just became a PA. I haven't even started working yet. I laughed at the letter even before knowing that this "association" was a true scam. Thanks for all the information.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Anon from 10/9/18, thanks for the comment. I laughed when I read it. I think they wanted to get to you before you started working to beat their competitors to the punch.

Unknown said...

Much the same here. I got the letter and it felt great. Like a nice hot bath and a glass of wine. After researching the company - I opted for the bath and wine.

Bokonon said...

I got one of these today and it reminded me of those companies like "Who's Who" from my high school days, that you could pay to get in some stupid book.

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