Doctors have always received a certain level of trust based on the fact that they know how to heal us when we are ill. Many patients do not feel comfortable asking their physicians questions about their track record when performing a procedure or about their medical malpractice history.

We carefully read the paperwork they give us to fill out and sign, then disclose everything there is to know about ourselves medically and personally. Between the lab tests and paperwork, your doctor now knows more about you than your friends and at times family. If you really think about it, this one-sided flow of information can be detrimental to your healthcare.

The EZDoctor Report, made by South Florida big data startup EZDoctor, costs $19.95 per report. It has been on the market for about 15 months, and has been the best kept secret for many personal injury / medical malpractice attorneys and physician recruitment firms. News about EZDoctor Reports broke when a blogger wrote about how she used the reports to choose between five doctors that she was considering to use for gastric bypass surgery. She found that some of the doctors had malpractice cases against them that were very serious, and another had been reprimanded by the state medical board. The reports gave her insight into her prospective doctors that she probably would have never known.

Everyone deserves the peace of mind in knowing that he/she chose the right doctor for the job. The days of having the same family doctor that knew your parents and siblings are long gone. We no longer have long term relationships with our physicians, and this is where the EZDoctor Report comes in. It reveals previously hidden and difficult-to-find information, along with reviews and ratings about your doctor. This level of detail has never before been available in a single location in such an easy-to-read format.

EZDoctor Reports are delivered as a multi-page PDF document. The first page includes the physician's general identifying information, medical specialties, education, and licensing. Subsequent pages feature pricing data for the most typical procedures presented alongside state averages for the same procedures. Price, of course, is just one factor in choosing a doctor – reputation as a medical provider is arguably more important. With the addition of medical board disciplinary actions, medical malpractice cases, prescribing habits, criminal offenses, and data showing compensation or ownership in pharmaceutical companies, one can truly say they know his/her doctor.

Healthcare consumers can now learn as much about their doctor as they would about a home or car they're considering buying. A person would never hire a babysitter to watch the children without checking their background and references. Unfortunately, it's very taboo to question a physician about his/her background. For life and death decisions, this kind of transparency only makes sense.

I'm reminded of the joke, "What do you call a medical student that graduated at the bottom of his/her class?"… "Doctor".

Here's a promotional video about EZDoctor Reports: