Many great doctors are surprised and frustrated when their online ratings don’t match the high-quality care they provide every day. There is often an overlooked reason for the discrepancy between service and online reputation for a medical practice. The patient experience is judged on much more than their interaction with the doctor.
A physician client recently called me about her practice’s Google reviews. She was angry that they were hovering around 3.5 stars. “I’m a great doctor. My patients love me. My personal reviews are excellent.”
A Medical Visit Isn’t All About The Doctor
We reviewed some of her practice’s recent Google Reviews and saw a trend. People did, in fact, love the physicians in the practice. What they didn’t like was the office experience. Long hold times. Being ignored by the staff when they walked in. Trouble getting insurance information. Delays with requested forms. Appointments running late.
“But they got great medical care! Isn’t that what’s important?” she asked.
In many ways, of course, she’s right. But not when it comes to the medical practice’s Google reviews!
Every Patient Touchpoint Affects Your Medical Practice’s Google Reviews
Before a patient even sees a doctor, they’ve already had a half-dozen or more experiences that affect their opinion. They called for an appointment, maybe received a reminder, they walked into the office, spoke with someone at the reception desk. They sat and waited. Spent time with a nurse. Only then did they see a doctor.
Then after the appointment, they had to check out. Maybe get a referral or an insurance form. Maybe get a school or camp form filled out.
With all those touchpoints, what will they remember about their overall experience? And what will they base their review on? Oftentimes, it’s a frustrating interaction.
Which is More Memorable, A Positive or Negative Interaction?
The research article Bad is Stronger than Good by Roy Baumeister et al. (2001), demonstrates that negative experiences have stronger and more lasting effects than positive ones. Further, they cite the “Five to One Rule” which states that positive interactions must outnumber negative ones by a five to one ratio. So even if almost everything goes right during the patient’s visit, they might only remember that there was a billing error.
How to Improve Your Medical Practice’s Google Reviews
- Identify and make a list of all your patient’s touchpoints. Think about every interaction they have with your office. On the phone, online, in person. This might include something that you may not even directly control – like a medical network’s central appointment line. But to the patient, it’s still part of your office.
- Take the easy wins first. What are some quick fixes you can implement? Clean up your waiting room? Have your staff prepare forms on the spot instead of having patients wait for them? What’s the low-hanging fruit at your office?
- Consider steps to the more difficult fixes. Meet with partners to get buy-in. This might involve staff changes, retraining or policy changes. You don’t need to do everything at once, but you must keep improving the patient experience.
- Remember, every interaction with a patient is important!
- Encourage patients to leave reviews. Studies show that businesses with a higher number of total ratings are more likely to appear in Google Map listings.
- Engage with ratings, good and bad. Thank patients for leaving a positive review and reach out directly to patients who have left a bad review. Many of our medical practice clients report that simply speaking to a frustrated patient has drastically changed their point of view. Frequently, these once-unhappy reviewers remove their low ratings completely. And they come back with a new positive outlook.
What 5-Star Medical Practices Know
A patient’s review is not just about the medical care they received during their visit. It includes every interaction they had with your office, from the first phone call to any promised follow-ups. When even one part of that experience doesn’t meet the patient’s expectations, it can overshadow even a great physician. Medical practices that consistently earn 5-star ratings are the ones that treat every touchpoint as a critical piece of the patient’s overall care.
Need Help Improving Your Practice’s Online Reputation?
The medical and healthcare marketing experts at Haven are here to help you grow your practice. Contact us today for a free consultation.
