Family Doctors · Iowa · October 2026
Best Family Doctors in Iowa (October 2026)
Dr. Michael Abouassaly ranks first with a score of 86.7: 5.0 stars from 212 Google reviews; 31 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment. Dr. James Schlichtmann ranks second with a score of 85.1: 5.0 stars from 134 Google reviews; 32 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment. Dr. Walter Downey ranks third with a score of 83.9: 4.9 stars from 193 Google reviews; 31 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment.
- 1
Michael Abouassaly, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 212 Google reviews
Score 86.7 · 31 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 2
James Schlichtmann, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 134 Google reviews
Score 85.1 · 32 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 3
Walter Downey, MD
4.9 out of 5 · 193 Google reviews
Score 83.9 · 31 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 4
David Erlbacher, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 99 Google reviews
Score 83.9 · 37 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 5
David Carlson, MD
4.9 out of 5 · 141 Google reviews
Score 83.0 · 39 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 6
Michael Bird, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 72 Google reviews
Score 82.6 · 39 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 7
Perry Rathe, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 61 Google reviews
Score 81.8 · 35 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 8
Michael Slattery, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 61 Google reviews
Score 81.8 · 33 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 9
Douglas Peters, MD
4.9 out of 5 · 129 Google reviews
Score 81.7 · 29 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
- 10
Matthew Kettman, MD
5.0 out of 5 · 123 Google reviews
Score 81.7 · 27 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment
The same list as a table
| Rank | Doctor | City | Score | Rating | Reviews | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Abouassaly, MD | West Burlington | 86.7 | 5.0 | 212 | 31 |
| 2 | James Schlichtmann, MD | Washington | 85.1 | 5.0 | 134 | 32 |
| 3 | Walter Downey, MD | West Burlington | 83.9 | 4.9 | 193 | 31 |
| 4 | David Erlbacher, MD | Harlan | 83.9 | 5.0 | 99 | 37 |
| 5 | David Carlson, MD | West Burlington | 83.0 | 4.9 | 141 | 39 |
| 6 | Michael Bird, MD | Ames | 82.6 | 5.0 | 72 | 39 |
| 7 | Perry Rathe, MD | Nevada | 81.8 | 5.0 | 61 | 35 |
| 8 | Michael Slattery, MD | Carroll | 81.8 | 5.0 | 61 | 33 |
| 9 | Douglas Peters, MD | West Burlington | 81.7 | 4.9 | 129 | 29 |
| 10 | Matthew Kettman, MD | Waterloo | 81.7 | 5.0 | 123 | 27 |
How we ranked
Ratings are weighted toward independent, third-party verified patient reviews. When a physician has them, 60% of the rating comes from patients surveyed by an independent third party (not chosen by the practice) and 40% from public, anonymous reviews such as Google. Anonymous reviews alone count for less, so a few posts can't carry a physician to the top. The score also weighs years since medical school and accepting Medicare assignment. Every physician here has a verified practice website and at least five patient reviews. No one can pay to change a rank. Read the full method.
Questions
Who is the highest-ranked family doctor in Iowa?
Michael Abouassaly, MD in West Burlington, with a BestDocs score of 86.7 (5.0 stars from 212 Google reviews; 31 years since medical school; accepts Medicare assignment).
How many family doctors in Iowa have online booking?
146 of the 216 ranked family doctors in Iowa offer online booking on their practice website.
How are these family doctors ranked?
By the BestDocs score, which is weighted toward independent third-party verified patient reviews: patient rating (50 points; 60% independent verified reviews and 40% anonymous public reviews when both exist), years in practice (31.25) and verified credentials (18.75). Sponsored placements never change rank. The full method is on the methodology page.
Data as of October 2026. Sources: CMS NPPES, CMS Doctors and Clinicians file, Google business listings, practice websites. Ratings are Google ratings, shown as text and not marked up as reviews.