Why do healthcare providers need to pay attention to patient reviews? 77% of prospective patients use online reviews as the first step in choosing a physician. Doctor review sites for healthcare providers are often the first stop and provide the first impression patients get of your practice.
Why patient reviews on doctor review sites are important
- They contribute to a good online reputation.
Patients want a service provider with a proven track record of success. When searching for one, they trust information from other patients the most. Online reviews are social proof of a healthcare provider’s expertise and quality. They give prospective patients an idea of what kind of experience to expect with a given provider.
- They help you improve patient experience.
All feedback is good feedback. While positive online doctor reviews boost your reputation, bad reviews give you critical insights into what needs improvement. The quicker you act on negative feedback, the less you will start to receive.
The list below ranks the top 5 review sites for healthcare providers where patients post health provider reviews for their healthcare providers based on data from Alexa.
Why are these the top 5 review sites for healthcare providers?
It’s important to get reviews on doctor review sites that lots of patients know about and visit. The more often a patient visits a doctor review site, the more likely they are to read and post reviews there. High web traffic suggests many users have accounts on these sites. That typically means it would be quick and easy to leave a review — no need to go through a lengthy registration process.
Two important patient review monitoring & management tips:
- Set up your business account on each of these top patient reviews of doctors sites
Include your up-to-date business information so patients can start finding you easily and leaving online doctor reviews
- Ask your patients for reviews on a regular basis
A 5-star rating doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Patients also look at when the review was posted, and value recent health provider reviews over old ones that may have become irrelevant. Not only that, a higher review volume makes both search engines and customers trust you more.
Top 5 doctor review sites for healthcare providers
Google My Business
Alexa Ranking: 1, Monthly U.S. traffic: 155.5M
Google My Business is a free tool helping local businesses manage their online presence across Google Search and Google Maps. Being listed on Google My Business is crucial to new patient acquisition: 98% of consumers choose a business listed on page 1 of Google search results. Verify your business on Google My Business to get started.
Alexa Ranking: 3, Monthly U.S. traffic: 99.4M
Facebook is the fastest-growing review platform. You can enable reviews on your practice’s Facebook page via the Facebook Reviews app, which will create a Reviews tab right on your page where patients can read and post reviews. The great thing about Facebook is that most patients already have accounts, so leaving a review is quick and painless. However, it’s important to note that unlike many other review sites, businesses cannot respond to patient reviews posted on Facebook.
WebMD
Alexa Ranking: 162, Monthly U.S. traffic: 31.9M
In addition to extensive information and public forums, WebMD has a physician directory and a hospital directory that help patients use ratings and reviews to find local care.
ZocDoc
Alexa Ranking: 1819, Monthly U.S. traffic: 3.5M
ZocDoc lets patients explore doctors by specialty, a range of services, office locations, personnel educational backgrounds, and more. List your practice on ZocDoc to showcase your expertise and start collecting patient reviews. For members, ZocDoc also offers instant appointment booking. ZocDoc shows up in the top results for 120 million annual doctor searches.
Vitals
Alexa Ranking: 5746, Monthly U.S. traffic: 1.7M
Vitals has 7.8 million reviews and ratings of doctors, specialists, hospitals, treatment and recovery facilities, urgent care facilities, and more.
How can you get new patient reviews on top doctor review sites?
There are several ways to collect more reviews from your patients, including manually sending follow-up emails, including links or codes on receipts, or in person after a patient visit. However, the most effective way to boost review volume is by automating the process with review management software that lets you ask every patient for feedback after their appointment and alerts you whenever you receive a new review.
The bottom line of patient reviews
Reviews are only becoming more important in the healthcare industry. To dominate the local competition and earn prospective patients’ trust, you need a review management strategy in place. This will not only earn you a great online reputation. It will also help you understand your patients on a personal level so you can consistently exceed their expectations and keep your spot at the top. It’s a win-win.
Originally published
