Topic: How Star Ratings Impact Health Providers

A study of how online reviews impact healthcare providers was performed by RepuGen. The study revealed 3 out of 4 patients prefer to be examined by health care providers who have high star ratings, with 4 stars being the minimum acceptable rating among prospective patients. Ultimately, this study has unearthed the importance of maintaining high ratings and the positive impact they have on health providers and their practices.

The Impact of High Star Ratings

A study conducted in 2021 by RepuGen, a healthcare reputation management platform, revealed the key to success for healthcare providers: high star ratings. RepuGen uncovered that these ratings are a strong determining factor in a patient’s decision-making process when it comes to selecting a physician.  

According to the study, approximately 81% of patients rely on online reviews when it comes to choosing a doctor. However, there are several tenets of these reviews that patients pay close attention to. These include sentiments voiced in the feedback, the average star ratings, as well as the number of reviews left.

These findings are part of additional results curated from the survey performed on 1,790 patients who were 18 years of age or older in the United States. The survey included a series of questions to help determine the most important factors that influenced the decision-making process of patients.

The answers rendered in the survey found that over 95% of patients put a lot of stock in online reviews, with 40% of them flat out refusing to visit a healthcare provider who had received poor reviews. Furthermore, the survey revealed that 70% of patients who were 60 years of age or older, as well as over 75% of patients below the age of 60, made their healthcare decisions based on the number of positive patient reviews and a high star rating.

In addition, 75% of patients in the survey noted that they would only consider trying a healthcare provider or practice if it had a 4-star rating or higher. A majority of patients, over 69%, said that they visit 2 or more review platforms before making a final decision. Out of the review platforms mentioned, Google, WebMD, Healthgrades, and Yelp were 4 of the most trusted review sites that patients took into high consideration. This information solidified the findings that online reviews are an incredibly important factor when patients are considering visiting a healthcare provider.

Key Takeaway

A study by RepuGen revealed that patients largely take star ratings into account when selecting a healthcare provider. Many patients admitted that for them to seriously consider a healthcare provider, they look for a minimum 4-star rating. Therefore, star ratings can have a tremendous impact on healthcare providers, helping determine how successful their practice is. 

Topic Discussed: How Star Ratings Impact Health Providers