Transparency and scoring: how ratings work

Last updated 5 November 2026

This page explains, in plain words, how a Papqle rating is made, what it measures and what it does not.

What a rating measures

A rating shows what patients and caregivers report about their own experience: how they were treated, how clearly things were explained, how clean the place was and how fair the bill felt.

A rating does not measure a provider's medical skill, qualifications or treatment results. Use it alongside your own judgement and your doctor's advice.

The questions we ask

Each review rates seven questions from 1 to 5 for its type of provider, plus a few Yes/No questions.

Doctors

  1. Explained things clearly
  2. Treated me with respect
  3. Did not order unnecessary tests or medicine
  4. Kept the wait short
  5. Easy to reach for follow-up
  6. Looked at my previous reports
  7. I trust their expertise

Yes/No: Gave a receipt or prescription; Next steps were clear

Hospitals and clinics

  1. Staff were responsive and respectful
  2. Kept me informed about treatment
  3. Rooms and toilets were clean
  4. I felt safe and comfortable
  5. Beds and medicines were available
  6. Admission and discharge went smoothly
  7. Bills were clear and fair

Yes/No: Written discharge instructions were given; Pain was managed well

Diagnostic centres

  1. Samples were collected professionally
  2. Staff were courteous
  3. The place was clean
  4. Results came on time
  5. The report was clear and accurate
  6. Costs were clear and reasonable
  7. Overall experience

Yes/No: The report had to be corrected or the test repeated

How the score is calculated

  • A review's score is the average of its 1 to 5 answers.
  • Proof counts more. A review whose proof (a receipt or prescription) our team has checked counts 3 times. A review without proof, or whose proof could not be confirmed, counts once.
  • The provider's score is the weighted average of all published reviews, shown to one decimal place.

No score before 10 reviews

A score appears only after 10 published reviews. Until then you see the number of reviews and "not enough reviews yet". Zero reviews means no information yet, not zero stars.

The review count is always shown next to a score, so you can see how many people it rests on. Individual reviews can be read from the first one.

Yes/No answers do not change the stars

Yes/No results, such as whether people got a prescription, are shown separately as percentages. They never change the stars. Each result appears once that question has 10 answers.

What the profile labels mean

  • Unclaimed: the provider has not taken over this profile. Its details come from public sources.
  • Claim under review: someone has asked to manage this profile and our staff are checking.
  • Claimed ✓: our staff checked the provider's identity and BMDC registration or licence.

None of these labels is a rating of medical quality. Claiming a profile does not change its score or its reviews.

No one can pay for a better rating

No one can pay Papqle for a better rating, a higher place in search, or to have a review removed. There are no sponsored or promoted listings.

Why search results are in this order

Results are sorted by how well they match what you typed. When two match equally well, the one with more published reviews comes first, then the one with more reviews with proof. Whether a profile is claimed never changes its place.

You can also sort by highest rated (only providers with 10 or more reviews) or by most reviews. No one can pay for a higher place.

How reviews are checked

  • A person on our team reads every review before it is published.
  • Automated checks may flag abuse, threats, private information or possible defamation, but they never publish or reject a review on their own.
  • If a provider disputes a review, it stays visible with an "under dispute" note and the provider's reply, so you can see both sides.
  • Staff remove a review only with a recorded reason, for example that it is false, unlawful or exposes someone's private information.

Proof and identities stay private

  • Proof is never shown publicly. Only trained staff see it, and the original file is deleted 30 days after the decision on it.
  • People who are not signed in never see reviewer names. A reviewer who posts anonymously is hidden from other users and providers; only authorised Papqle staff can see who wrote it.