In today’s world, consumers use online reviews as a decision-making tool for just about anything, especially their new healthcare providers. A whopping 81% of prospective patients seek out and consider a healthcare practice’s reviews in order to inform their decisions.
Patients expect their healthcare experiences to be more than simple checkups and diagnostics. Every touch point with a practice, from finding it online to receiving regular communication and appointment reminders for years to come, counts.
Social media has grown into an important business tool within the past several years, reaching far past the early days of only being a place for posting food photos and selfies. Established businesses often have a robust presence across several social platforms.
In a time of rapidly changing digital landscapes, it can be hard for dental practices to keep up with the latest trends that bring patients through their doors.
When a patient decides to seek out the best plastic surgeon in their area, they are most likely starting their journey online via Google or another search engine. The results page shows relevant results so patients can cut down on their search time and easily find well-established plastic surgery practices in their area.
It is a common misconception that healthcare practices do not require marketing strategies in the same way that other companies and professions do. However, healthcare should be treated as a business and cater to consumers, or in this case, patients.
With more options than ever before, patients expect more than top-tier care. They look for providers who deliver top-tier care paired with options and tools available to them that make their experiences easy, timely, and convenient.
With every new year comes a new opportunity for healthcare practices to review and readjust their complete growth strategies to further drive success through patient acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.
With more patients turning to online reviews for guidance when choosing their new healthcare providers, it’s important to monitor and handle your reviews as they roll in-- especially the negative ones.
Like any other industry, consumerism has affected the healthcare sector as well. Health consumerism is a concept that enables patients to make an informed decision based on all the information, figures, and facts that are available to them.
