Tag: patient review

5 Star Reviewed Practice with Vetters Enterprises

4 Ways to Become a 5-Star Reviewed Practice

Posted on by VettersEnt

Online reviews matter more than ever before, as patients turn to the internet to find the best doctor or specialist available. As a result, more practices are concerned about becoming a 5-star reviewed practice. How can you boost your online ratings and get an A+ rating across the web? It’ll take some elbow grease!

Know What Affects Ratings

First, you need to understand what affects patient ratings online. While some people will leave vindictive negative reviews, the vast majority of practice reviews left online are honest and reflect patient experience. That means that the best way to improve your online reviews is not necessarily only asking patients with great experiences to leave them, but instead to focus on improving patient experience across your practice.

Keep it Face to Face

When entering a room, always sit down facing the patient. Sitting in front of a patient, instead of standing up or rummaging around the room, improves patient perception of how much attention you are paying them. Studies have found that patients whose doctors sit in front of them to discuss their issue perceive that their doctor paid more attention and that the appointment lasted longer.

Ask for Feedback

If you only have a handful of reviews online, a single1-star or 2-star review could majorly impact your rating. To be a 5-star reviewed practice, you should focus on getting as many reviews as possible. Ask patients for reviews on a consistent basis as they leave appointments, in follow-up emails and even via text message. The more that patients are asked, the higher the likelihood that they will leave a review. You should also follow up with negative reviews when they are left. Don’t ask the reviewer to take down the review. Instead, you should learn more about the negative experience and work to make it right.

Thank Your Patients

When was the last time you thanked a patient for coming into your practice and giving you business? What about the last time you thanked a patient for proactively getting a flu shot or preventative procedure? One study found that thanking patients at the end of the appointment moved the average rating from 3 stars to 4.5-5 stars. Even more profoundly, the majority of patients specifically mentioned the “thank you” message and how it was different from experiences at other practices.

Get a 5-Star Reviewed Practice with Vetters Enterprises

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.

How to Use Patient Reviews to Your Advantage

Posted on by VettersEnt

Did you know that almost 85% of patients use online reviews to evaluate and select physicians? If you don’t have a handle on what online reviews have to say about you and your practice, you can’t afford to do so any longer. How can you harness the power of patient reviews to your advantage?

Good Reviews Matter

Good reviews of your practice online are a big deal. The number of patients using online reviews to determine a provider is rising, along with the number of patients who count them as very important. Almost half of the patients in a 2015 survey indicated that they would consider going out of network solely based on patient reviews. If that doesn’t convince of the power of great online reviews, nothing will!

The Good News

While plenty of physicians loathe online review sites on principle, like restaurants worried about Yelp!, there is plenty to be excited about. The majority of patient reviews are either neutral, somewhat positive or very positive. When patients read healthcare reviews, they are more likely to focus on positive experiences rather than negative experiences. Only 19% of online reviews are negative. That number is high, but there are many ways to encourage good reviews of your practice without stepping into ethical hot water.

How Can You Encourage Patients to Leave Reviews?

The most important thing to keep in mind when asking patients to review you online is never to tell them what to write or to say only positive things. You should also avoid offering an incentive for a positive review, like a gift card or discount. So, how can you encourage patients to leave reviews of your practice online?

Get in the habit of proactively asking for feedback in your patient communications. When you send out an email thanking a patient for attending an appointment, include a link to popular review sites. When checking a patient out, have your receptionists give them an appointment card with the date of the next appointment and a reminder to leave a review online. By routinely reminding your current patients to review your practice online, you will increase the chance of them actually doing so. You can also start by approaching your long-term, most satisfied patients and asking them to write a patient review about your practice online.

Partner with Vetters Enterprises for Great Patient Reviews

Vetters Enterprises specializes in practice management, private practice business support and revenue cycle optimization. We can perform in-depth assessments of your practice or facility and identify potential issues. Let us keep your business as healthy as you keep your patients! Give us a call at (443) 352-0088.