5 Reasons Online Reputation Matters in Healthcare

Google is where majority of people go when they want to research anything from restaurants to healthcare, which is why online reviews are important to organizations. Online reviews help prospective patients understand which doctors they should select for their healthcare needs along with the level of patient care offered.

Why do online reviews matter for healthcare facilities?  81% of consumers report that online reviews have a significant influence on deciding where to receive care. This figure has steadily increased over the years as an organization's online presence plays a more prominent role in patient acquisition. 

Over 83% of consumers believe that reviews need to be relevant and recent to make a difference in their purchasing decisions. Furthermore, around 68% of consumers also agree they won’t trust a high review rating unless it comes with multiple reviews. It is essential for businesses to pursue Google reviews that are frequent and recent. After all, you want your online reputation to be just as stellar as the customer service and clinical care you provide. 

There is a direct correlation between online reputation and financial performance, making it a contributing factor to a successful organization. One of the most effective ways to improve the patient experience — and ultimately increase volume and revenue — is to monitor feedback and use these insights to make meaningful changes to your processes. 

1. Improve Visibility
   Online reviews give your facility a boost in local search ranking. With low or infrequent reviews, when patients and family members are searching for healthcare services among your competitors, you will fall to the bottom of a Google search and become nearly invisible to patients and their families. An intentional focus on capturing customer reviews will improve SEO and help your organization reach the top of Google's listings when searching among your potential competitors.  
   
2. Boost Census and Revenue 
   Positive online reviews play an imperative role in attracting more patients, therefore increasing an organization's overall census. A robust online presence attracts more patients and ultimately increases revenue. 
   
3. Use Insights to Take Action
   There is valuable information about your facility in online reviews. You can take action ahead of time using insights provided by Cortex and based on your learnings, help improve overall patient satisfaction.  
   
4. Build Trust
   A solid online reputation for your organization is the fundamental benefit of building trust among current and new patients. With readily available information on the internet, it makes online reviews that much more influential to patients.
   
5. Attract Qualified Employees
   If you think consumers are the only ones focused on online reviews, think again. Just as patients may search for a company and read reviews, it should not be surprising that employees will do the same.  With the help of online reputation management, companies with a good and positive reputation tend to attract better talent and, therefore, better employees.

Not only has Cortex captured hundreds of 5-star Google reviews, but our team of RNs follow up with your patients providing data in real-time. Having a robust patient survey program in place that gathers feedback directly from patients is imperative so that you can improve care concerns before they appear in the online review of a frustrated patient.