By Laurie Morgan, Capko & Morgan
Why reputation management is critical for your customers
In 2013, I wrote my first ebook on online physician reputation management. At the time, I thought I might be late to the market, but that turned out to be completely wrong. Outside healthcare, local businesses of all types had already learned how reviews on sites like Yelp and Angie’s List could help or harm them. But practices seemed largely inclined to ignore the trend, even as ratings sites like Healthgrades and Vitals were building momentum.
Physician skepticism about patient reviews has been a big factor discouraging practices from working with (and, in a way, validating) reviews sites. Since most patients aren’t doctors themselves, how can they accurately evaluate a physician’s skills? Doctors worry about fairness, too, if patients tie their “satisfaction” to outcomes that no physician could possibly control.
But at least some of these concerns are unfounded. Many studies have shown that few patient reviews are negative. What’s more, when patients give negative feedback, it’s often about management issues that can be repaired. Engaging with online ratings sites, instead of ignoring them, allows practices to learn about fixable problems. Practices can sometimes even respond to reviews, reassuring prospective patients that billing errors, long waits, or other administrative concerns are addressed.
Practices are starting to see that they may have been unduly cautious about reputation management – and that’s good news for their businesses. New software tools that can help staff manage reputation data efficiently are making it easier for practices to get started. Physicians and administrators are learning how even a little time invested in managing their online image can pay off – and how failing to take action can hurt.
Covering the basics
As a rep, you may have already experienced a common consequence of practices ignoring online directories. Imagine being en route to your first visit with a physician, and realizing upon arriving that the address information your iPhone found is wrong. It’s bad enough to miss a business meeting because Google or Bing had the address wrong; now imagine missing your first patient visit with a surgeon or oncologist.
Errors in basic information like addresses and phone numbers are common in online directories. Virtually every practice can expect to find at least one the first time they check their online listings. These problems are more than just a drag on a practice’s image. When a phone number is wrong or a payer directory omits a practice, it can be like anti-marketing. Although the practice wants to attract new patients, incorrect directories are turning them away.
Alerting your clients when you find errors in their online data is an easy way to add value. By showing how the same online experience you had could discourage prospective patients, you can help them attract patients (without spending a penny on marketing!). Once your clients master the basics of editing directory profiles, they’ll likely be ready for more active efforts to attract reviews and participate on social media. Your personal experiences with social networking and even reviews and ratings of your own products can then provide even more insights to encourage their evolution.