How Physician Owned Practices Can Generate Great Patient Reviews

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What are people saying about you?

This is a question every business should constantly be asking itself, and healthcare is no exception. Recommendations are no longer limited to restaurants, contractors, and pest control professionals. In today’s open sourced digital economy, the masses act as curators, sharing their experiences through text, video, and photos. This bulk of information will become the basis for billions of dollars’ worth of purchasing decisions. Recent studies showed that star rating is the number one factor used by consumers to judge a business, and that 44% of respondents say a review must be written within one month to be relevant.[1]

Your digital reputation is more than just online visibility, it is an essential proof point for first-time patients. Business listings with many positive high-quality reviews have a distinct competitive edge. The first step in generating a thoughtful and positive online presence is by creating a strategy to engage patients and influence them to provide reviews. This will not only grow your brand, but it will provide valuable customer feedback.

Implement A Strategy That Works

Start by having staff members ask for reviews at check-in or check-out. This creates a simple routine that can quickly generate reviews. And providing patients with a tablet or touchscreen kiosk can make this process more convenient.

It’s also important not to forget about the power of small incentives. There is a smart reason restaurants offer up gift cards for reviews, small discounts, or even free gifts like logo-branded merchandise — to drive reviews and help people feel like their contributions matter. And there is a tangible ROI associated with good reviews, so don’t be hesitant to occasionally give out a couple of freebies!

Make Use Of Your Patient Portal

Patient portals are also a great way to increase patient communication. These portals allow you to ask questions and set up prompts that remind users to add a review after each visit. This automated solution can take a lot of the manual work out of collecting feedback and allows for good patient-provider dialogue.

Reviews are only part of a healthy online presence, though. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a crucial factor for making sure that people can find your business easily. Follow best practices and regularly consult with professionals to increase your organic and paid SERPs.

Hashtag, Tweet, Share, and Like Your Way to Referrals

Social Media is equally relevant. Provide regular content for the top 4-5 major platforms. This can be a mix of both original and educational third-party content from highly trusted sources. A powerful social media presence is a great way to humanize your business and get referrals.

Over 61% of patients look at reviews prior to choosing a doctor.[2] Having a great online presence that is easy to find and filled with positive reviews is an important asset. There’s more than one way to get reviews and optimize your site, but Chartlogic believes that everything starts with great communication.

With our patient portal, you can have instant communication with patients and ask for or remind them to leave a review. You can also ask them to follow you on social media within the portal. Learn more about ChartLogic’s patient portal solution today with a free demo.

Sources:

[1] https://www.vendasta.com/blog/50-stats-you-need-to-know-about-online-reviews

[2] https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/medical-online-reviews-report-2014/