Getting positive online reviews for your DPC practice
In the digital age, you know that online reviews for your DPC practice are important. Most new patients will check these ratings and comments before deciding to sign up with your independent practice for their healthcare needs. How do you get more positive online reviews?
The first step, of course, is to ensure your current patients are satisfied with the services you provide and with the quality of patient engagement you and your staff offer. Positive online reviews for your DPC practice come from patients who feel valued.
The next step is to encourage those patients to leave positive reviews online. It is human nature to post reviews when the individual is unhappy or dissatisfied. As a DPC provider, you will need to emphasize your desire for your patients to leave those reviews for your practice when they have had positive experiences.
Some strategies you and your DPC team can take include asking your patients directly through a variety of mediums. Add a link to those sites that are most relevant to your practice, including Yelp and Healthgrades. Consider these communications tools as a way to reach those patients:
- Emails and newsletters
- Thank you notes
- Direct messages
- After-visit surveys
You can also use your website and social media posts to encourage patients to leave positive online reviews for your DPC practice. Reviews that are shared offline can also be useful. Give patients comments cards at checkout and include a box to check for permission to use their comments online.
Elation Health can help your DPC practice connect with your patients seamlessly and securely. The all-in-one membership management solution gives you a streamlined experience for scheduling, telehealth, payments, and much more.
The important thing about getting positive online reviews for your DPC practice is to ask and not to wait until your patients decide on their own to post a review.
In addition, if patients rate you on sites that carry scales, such as those that rate on a scale of five stars, follow up with those patients and ask them to provide details about their experiences with your DPC practice. While numerical ratings are helpful, the stories carry a lot more weight with potential patients. Ask specifically about their experiences with staff, with the facility and location, and with the healthcare services they received.
It’s also important to follow up with those patients who leave negative reviews. By proactively addressing their concerns, you may be able to turn those comments into a positive as well. Never leave a negative review unanswered. That will only serve to hurt your reputation. You can also follow up with these individuals privately to ensure the individuals feel heard and valued.
When patients leave online reviews, follow up to thank them for their comments and for being loyal patients. This contact reinforces their value to your practice and may encourage them to leave additional comments following future visits.
Online reviews can mean the difference to the success of your practice, as you look to grow your patient panel and your reputation in the community. Do not hesitate to ask your patients to go online and share their satisfaction so that others can read more about the positive aspects of your DPC practice.
