The Best Online Reputation Management Strategies for Doctors

Today, people consider online reviews before making most purchasing decisions. The upward trend in online reviews allows Doctors and healthcare professionals to establish trust with patients long before they have the opportunity to meet in person. Because choosing a physician is an important personal choice, the healthcare industry is among the most popular for online reviews. Here are a few of the best online reputation management strategies for Doctors and Physicians today.

Use Reviews to Your Advantage

According to some studies up to 84 percent of patients now consider online reviews to evaluate physicians. In the past, the opportunity to reach 84% of people shopping for your service was uncommon. Healthcare organizations need to be aware that the vast majority of patients today are using online reviews to research physicians, and many are making important decisions based on this research. Understanding the advantage of a positive review profile is paramount to success in the medical industry today.

Resolve Issues Offline

In most cases, resorting to a public complaint is not the first option for unhappy patients. As in any business, it will not be possible to please everyone 100% of the time, but ensuring that all staff is skilled in conflict resolution will likely mitigate the number of reviews that end up going public.

Secondly, ensure that you are cognizant of how you respond to negative reviews when they are posted online. Always ensure you avoid HIPAA violations and omit specific information about the patient when you respond to reviews.

Encourage Consistent Reviews

Did you know that only six percent of patients leave negative reviews? The most common complaint with online review sites in all industries is that they may tend to have a negative bias. People who are upset are more motivated to leave a review. The most effective way to hedge against this negative bias is to ensure that you provide satisfied customers with numerous, easy opportunities to leave a review. This can be done by adding a button to your website, linking to review sites in your email signature, or emailing patients with requests for reviews and instructions on how to publish them.

Complete Your Profiles

Review sites are popular and tend to appear highly in search engine results. A simple way to enhance your online reputation is to complete online profiles on medical review sites like Healthgrades, Vitals, and RateMDs. Many patients search for physicians by name, so this is an easy way to enhance your visibility.

More people than ever before are considering online reviews when selecting physicians, and this creates opportunities for doctors to enhance their online reputations and build trust with potential patients. The best strategy is to make yourself available online, make it as easy as possible to leave a review and ensure every patient has a positive experience at your practice. If you are interested in learning more about how Reputation Resolutions can provide online reputation management services for doctors and physicians, call us today at (855)239-5322 or contact us online and someone from our team will be in touch with you shortly.