YelpCare: The Impact of Online Patient Reviews
You’re in a new town and need a haircut. What do you do? Google it. What about when you’re looking for that perfect spot for a date? Yelp. Need a new doctor? The smart money says you’ll end up looking it up online through services like Healthgrades, Vitals, or any other website that offers patient reviews.
While we used to rely on word-of-mouth feedback from friends and family for recommendations for different services, the simple truth of the digital age is that we now turn to online reviews for answers. According to one 2020 survey, 93% of participants reported finding local businesses online, with 87% having read the reviews. The way consumers gather information on local businesses has changed— and that applies to healthcare providers as well.
Patient care in the digital age
Digital technology influences almost every aspect of life. Tech-savvy patient populations like Millennials and Generation Z are reshaping the healthcare marketplace. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has led many providers to embrace digital platforms, such as telehealth services and patient portals for improved communication and connectivity.
According to a recent survey of more than 800 patients, 74.6% of participants had researched their healthcare provider online. Many patients find their providers on the internet and the available reviews often play a role in their decision-making process, with 90% of patients in this 2020 survey evaluating care using online reviews. Additionally, 87% of patients in another study view online reviews with the same level of trust that they would a personal recommendation. For healthcare practices, the impact of online patient reviews cannot be overstated. It only takes a few reviews (between 1 and 6) for people to form an opinion, and, in one survey, 70% of prospective patients reported being influenced by both positive and negative reviews.
Although the negative impact of a bad review may give healthcare organizations pause from a business perspective, the pros of a positive review as a tool for practice growth far outweigh these cons. Common factors that lead to positive feedback include facility cleanliness and staff bedside manner, while wait times were cited as the biggest reason for negative feedback. Despite the possibilities of embracing online reviews to establish a reputation, few healthcare facilities have taken the time to craft their digital presence. In fact, half of healthcare facilities have no reviews whatsoever.
Building a reputation
Today’s healthcare practices and providers should embrace technology to build their online presence, engage patients by establishing a rapport, and actively encourage reviews online. A major factor in establishing and maintaining a provider’s reputation is patient experience, which inspires loyalty and potential new business for the institution or practice. Positive online reviews can attract new patients to a practice. Additionally, increased patient loyalty can improve outcomes by fostering more consistent care within the same organization.
Modern healthcare consumers aren’t just looking for the most conveniently located qualified provider within their plan. Instead, they want up to date information on their provider’s clinical expertise and access to first-hand experiences from patients. Online reviews offer a tool for prospective patients to find the best care, as well as a resource for practices to promote themselves and improve their offerings.
In the digital age, how can your practice adapt to better utilize tools like online reviews? Improved patient experience and engagement may represent solutions. For example, although empirical evidence from one 2019 study found that the number of provider reviews available online may be a larger determining factor for prospective patients than the actual scores, the researchers recommended providers improve their service quality and attitudes to encourage more patients to write reviews. By providing a consistently positive environment and engaging patients online, healthcare practices can foster positive reviews to build loyalty and attract new patients.