Sure, it may seem that what is said about you online may be out of your control – but it’s not. What doctors do, or don’t do, in response to online patient reviews can make a big difference.
Before you can do anything, of course, you need to be aware of what reviews exist and where they’re located. This can be a daunting task; reviews about you may lurk on dozens of medical websites for doctors, which are scattered throughout the web.
Most physicians don’t have the time to track down this vital information – but we do. The online reputation management professionals at iHealthSpot Interactive have their fingers on the pulse of patient reviews on the internet. We know just where to find them and, more importantly, what to do about them once located.
Why not take the opportunity of a brand-new decade to find out what people are saying about your medical practice. Knowing what your patients are saying – the good, bad, and ugly – gives you valuable information that can be used to transform the vast majority of them into satisfied patients who can help bring even more patients to your practice.
Let 2020 be the year you build, monitor, manage, and amplify your online reputation. iHealthSpot Interactive can help.
Your Reputation Matters
Perhaps a potential new patient was unable to get an appointment with you for the day or time they desired. Or maybe an existing patient is frustrated with the limitations of their insurance coverage. Even when you go the extra mile and fit someone into your schedule for a same-day appointment, it could result in a longer-than-average wait time for the patient. Even if this had been adequately communicated to the patient, they still may be unhappy.
You know what happens next. Patients may take to an online forum or healthcare review website to vent their frustration – whether or not warranted – in an effort to be heard and feel better. The negativity can snowball, gathering comments on the general theme, even if it has nothing to do with you.
This can wreak havoc on your business. Current patients may shop around for another doctor. New patients may opt to go elsewhere based on what they’re reading about you online.
It’s important to remember that, regardless of the content of the complaint or its validity, ignoring patient reviews is never the right choice. We can help you strengthen and build your practice with careful attention and timely response to your online reviews.
Effective and Efficient Management of Your Online Reviews
Don’t let negative patient reviews harm your medical practice. At iHealthSpot Interactive, we can help you find out what is being said about you and where. Our online reputation management for your medical practice includes working with you to determine the most appropriate response to reviews when found. For example:
- When online reviews are positive, timely, personal responses on your behalf can ensure that your current patients remain happy while strengthening your doctor-patient relationship.
- When online reviews are negative, it is vital to promptly address them. There are numerous ways to respond, depending on the content and the unique circumstances surrounding each review. Based on our extensive experience, our in-depth knowledge of healthcare online reputation management, and specialized tools at our disposal, we can help you determine the best approach for you, your patients, and your online ratings and reputation.
We especially understand that medical providers like you are held to a higher standard legally when it comes to responding to online reviews. For example, patient privacy laws prohibit publicly discussing a dispute over a diagnosis, even if the patient brings it up in the review. Our digital marketing strategy for healthcare always takes considerations like this, and best practices for the medical field, into account.
Be Proactive About Your Reputation
In the best of all possible worlds, you need to go beyond merely replying to patient reviews after they’re written. You’ll want to capitalize on the happy, satisfied patients you currently have.
The online marketing pros at iHealthSpot Interactive can develop strategic creative approaches just for you to encourage these patients to share their positive feelings online, creating a groundswell of reputation-boosting reviews online. This, in turn, can influence new patients who may be looking for you right now.
What Our Reputation Management Services Include
The vast majority of patients seeking a new doctor will first read a few of your online reviews before scheduling an appointment. Are you making sure they like what they see? Let iHealthSpot Interactive’s healthcare online reputation management team help you.
Our services include the following:
- We claim your online listings (such as on Google, Facebook, Healthgrades, Yelp, etc.), verify that your information is correct, respond to positive reviews, and alert you within 1 business day to any negative ones. We can then either respond to the review on your behalf or request that their review be removed for its inappropriate nature – due to issues such as authenticity, profanity, HIPAA violations, etc.
- You will receive email alerts of all new reputation-related activity.
- Each month, you will receive analytics that break down your online reputation activity of the previous month, so you can identify trends and monitor resolutions.
- We will send out emails or text blasts to your patients, asking them to review your services online.
Who Can Help Me Boost My Medical Practice’s Reputation?
It’s not enough to be a knowledgeable, skilled, and personable physician anymore. You must also have a dynamic and accessible presence online, where your patients are. That doesn’t mean just putting information on your website and leaving it there to sit for years. Rather, it means coming as close to creating a living, breathing virtual you as possible – and that includes interacting with potential patients and existing patients online.
When you and your healthcare services are the topic of a patient review, how you respond is critical to managing your online reputation. Contact the reputation management professionals at iHealthSpot Interactive to find out how we can help you do just that. Call us today at (877) 709-0999 to find out how easy it is to improve what is said about you online.
