Where do your best new patients come from?

Most doctors agree that the best new patients come from the referrals of existing patients. And just in case you have been busy with treating your patients over the past 3 years or so and have not noticed…the Internet has completely changed the way this works.

More and more people are relying on the Internet and social media sites to research the doctors they are being referred to. This means that if you know how to cultivate your online reputation, it can be the best thing that ever happened to your marketing budget. If you do not pay attention; however, it can have a huge impact on your practice…and I do not mean in a good way.

Consider this. When a patient refers someone to your office, the first thing they will probably do is look you up on the Internet. (I always check everyone out on the Internet!) This is great because they can get the story for themselves on who you are and what your practice is about. They go to your website, get a feel for your office, and read about you firsthand.

Wait, what? Did you say that you do not have a website? Uh Oh. Then you are at the mercy of the random postings about you and your office from your patients, your former patients, your least favorite cousin who’s girlfriend you stole in 3rd grade and has never forgiven you for it…you get the picture.

The good and bad of online reviews:

• First the good news. When a satisfied patient posts a great review on Yelp! it’s like a referral source on steroids. People who are actively looking for a doctor like you will see this stellar review and you will most likely have a new patient scheduled by the end of the day.
• Now the bad news. And it can be very bad for your practice. If you have ever had a dissatisfied patient post a negative review on Yelp! (like I have) you know what I am talking about. The phone stops ringing and your new patients start to dwindle. Even a mostly referral-based practice can feel the sting of a negative review in cyber space.

Reviews on the Internet are very powerful. The sites that specialize in collecting reviews on local businesses are also very powerful. In fact, when I search for a doctor by specialty, the first thing that comes up in my Google search (after the ads of course) are reviews of doctor’s offices on Yelp! Pages and pages of them. Try it for your specialty and see what you come up with in your neighborhood.
 
Unfortunately, posting to Yelp! or other social media–type review site requires no sanity check, IQ test, or even verification that a person actually visited your office! Anyone with an email address can sign up and begin to post away. It doesn’t really matter if the review is justified, or even true; your reputation and ultimately your bottom line is at stake.

The best defense is a good offense, and you must be pro-active when it comes to your online reputation. The more you know about what is being said about you out there…and where, the better you are able to deal with it- the good the bad and the ugly.

Five simple things you can do to protect your online reputation:

• Have a website (or at least a Facebook page) for your practice
• Fill out your Health Grades page (it’s free)
• Ask your patients to review their experience at your office on Social Media
• Once a week, conduct a social media search on your practice. Use Google search and others. Type in your office name and the word “reviews”.
• Offer an incentive for posting a review- a free nutritional shake, massage, or other perk you can easily provide in your office.

Bottom line, the Internet has changed the way we get new patients. Healthcare consumers are smart, savvy, and more apt to shop around for their new doctor. In order for them to pick you from the many choices they have, it is essential for you to have a great online presence so that you and your satisfied customers are the ones getting the word out about your practice.