It's a Ratings World

Google. Facebook. Amazon. Yelp. Angie’s List. Trip Advisor. And the list goes on. Today’s consumers search for the best hotels, best meals, best product reviews and business services.

Healthcare is no different.

Do you know what your patients are saying about your practice and your providers online? Maybe you haven’t given it much thought. Perhaps you know you have some undesirable reviews somewhere in cyberspace, but you simply don’t know what to do about it. You are not alone. Many practices still struggle to achieve a strong online presence.

A study by California State University shows 80% of people who leave reviews are hotheads. It makes sense. It’s human nature to want to vent a bad experience with the world.

According to the MGMA, 70% of patients search for providers and services online and nearly 80% look at online reviews to inform their decision. But how can you get your patients to leave a positive review?

Reputation Management is an effective way to improve and grow online presence. It's also a very powerful tool in measuring and improving the patient experience. According to the MGMA, “In the age of healthcare consumerism, reputation management can help your practice increase new patient volume, enhance your brand and build a better patient experience in a competitive healthcare market.”

So think Google Reviews. Healthgrades. RateMDs. Facebook. Zocdoc. WebMD. Again, the list goes on.

In simple terms, reputation management platforms allow patients to give a 1 to 5 star rating and provide comments about their experience.

Improve your online reputation management by knowing what to look for in a good reputation management platform. Desirable features include:

• Driving positive reviews.
• Avoiding negative reviews.
• Allowing patients to vent privately.
• Allowing your practice to respond.
• Tracking your results.