A star rating is the first thing most people look at, and often the last thing worth trusting on its own.
Why does review volume matter more than the average?
A hospital with a 4.9 average from 12 reviews is statistically far less reliable than one with a 4.5 average from 800 reviews. Small sample sizes swing wildly with just a few reviews in either direction.
What details are actually worth trusting?
Specific, repeated mentions — a particular doctor's bedside manner, consistent wait times, how a specific department handled an emergency — carry far more signal than generic five-word praise.
How can you spot reviews that aren't genuine?
Watch for reviews that read like marketing copy, lack any specific detail, or appear in unusual clusters around the same date — these patterns are worth discounting.
How should you weigh negative reviews?
A few negative reviews among hundreds of positive ones is normal and even reassuring — it suggests the positive reviews aren't uniformly manufactured. Focus on whether the specific complaint is relevant to your own situation.