In the contemporary landscape of consumer-oriented healthcare, patient expectations have sparked a demand for higher care standards. Patients are consumers who purchase healthcare services. They seek assurance that their investment translates to optimal care. Consequently, they’re investing time in research, predominantly on online platforms like RealPatientRatings.com to find the perfect medical practice. Recognizing the prevalence of online engagement among these consumer-patients should serve as a compelling incentive to prioritize the delivery of exceptional care, which has the potential to result in positive reviews.
Surveys have shown that a remarkable 84% of patients use online reviews to help them find a doctor, and 80% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust a personal recommendation from a friend or family member. Without a robust online presence supported by glowing reviews, your practice’s growth could suffer. On the other hand, when your own patients recommend and endorse your practice, you quickly become the go-to provider in your area. A series of positive patient reviews shows prospective patients that your practice focuses on patient-centered care and a positive patient experience.
The first and most important step to receiving positive online reviews is to enhance the patient experience across all stages of the patient journey.
The stages of the healthcare patient journey are:
- Appointment Booking
- Pre-Visit Communication
- Arrival at the Office
- Check-In Process
- Visit with the Provider
- Check-Out Process
- Follow Up Care
How can patients find your practice?
Patients can’t book an appointment with you if they don’t know where you are and how to contact you. Make sure your practice information is readily available online and shows up in local searches for your area. Claim your Google profile and make sure that all information is accurate and complete. Details regarding your specialty, location, contact information, hours, and the fact that you accept new patients should all be included. Vizium360 can help you keep your online information up to date across all consumer review sites and listings platforms. Vizium360’s own review site, RealPatientRatings.com, guarantees that your information is up to date and accurate and potential patients can connect with you directly from your provider and practice profiles. Our additional SEO services can help your practice get to the top spot on local searches for your specialty.
How easy is to make an appointment?
Factors include the ease with which patients can schedule appointments, whether via phone or your website, and the expected timeframe for appointment availability. Uncover hidden obstacles and patient frustrations using our fully customizable patient surveys. Hone in on areas that require improvements, whether technical or staff related, by analyzing detailed survey data provided by Vizium360’s powerful data analytics tool.
Are you making a good first impression?
Your front desk and phone staff are your direct representatives. That first interaction with your practice can either secure or deter a potential new patient. Find out exactly how your patients feel about those front office interactions by asking them detailed questions and analyzing their responses. Ensure positive phone and in-person interactions by providing the necessary training to your front desk staff. Ensure clear and concise information is given to the patient, whether in person, by phone, or via text messaging. Do new patients have clear directions to your office, parking information, and guidance for navigating your facility? Do new patients know what documents are required for their first visit? Making that first visit a success not only helps to secure patient loyalty but also positive online reviews and recommendations.
How good is your patient flow?
Once patients are physically present at your practice, optimizing each in-person interaction to establish a welcoming and comfortable environment is key. Using detailed patient surveys provided by Vizium360 will help your management team identify shortcomings in your practice’s operational workflows. The key is to eliminate excessive wait times without making the patient feel rushed. Survey data will provide the information needed to streamline the patient flow, uncover bottlenecks and deficiencies in staff training, but also highlight patient care strategies that work and make the patient feel welcomed and cared for.
How are your medical providers performing?
From the medical assistant to the surgical coordinator to the physician assistant and the physician, when the patient reaches the exam room, effective communication remains important to an exceptional patient experience. Prioritize open dialogue, shared decision-making, and transparency throughout the visit. Minimize idle time within the exam room to underscore your respect for the patient’s time. Making the patient feel like they’re the only patient in your practice is one of the most effective ways to bolster patient satisfaction. Survey the patient following their visit to understand what went right and what aspects of patient care need to be improved.
Are you dropping the ball?
Patients require your care and attention even after they leave the exam room. Fumbling the check-out, follow-up, or billing process has the potential to deter a patient from ever returning to your practice. Not only that, but it can also be an incentive for them to leave a negative review and damage your practice’s reputation. Make sure your check-out staff is well-trained and communication between them and the clinical staff is seamless. The check-out and follow-up processes rely heavily on effective communication between your individual staff members and the patient. Survey data will help you and your team determine exactly what steps work and what steps need to be improved to keep the patient coming back and spread the word of the excellent care they received at your practice.