Wherever doctors work, they strive to provide good quality care for their patients. They believe that the level of care they provide speaks for itself. As a result, they may not see a need to manage their online reputation.
However, many physicians might be surprised by the results they receive when they search their name or the name of their practice in an online search engine. Doing so only takes a few moments, but it can be immensely revealing. Doctors should evaluate whether or not the first search results would persuade a patient to seek their care. If not, then it’s probably time to take control of the situation.
Studies suggest that consumers check out a doctor’s online reputation before scheduling an appointment. This first impression can make or break a medical practice. Too many negative patient reviews can force people to look elsewhere for health care.
Many doctors are now hiring a physician reviews manager to stay on top of their online reputation. This manager performs regular search engine queries related to the doctor and their practice to evaluate how the doctor is being presented to the general public. If most of the entries seem negative or neutral, then the doctor needs to work to establish a more comprehensive Internet presence.
This process begins with building a rich, informative website that includes valuable mentions of the doctor’s name and the name of his or her practice. This helps search engines rank several pages of the doctor’s proprietary website in the initial search results. It’s also helpful if the doctor regularly updates a blog that might talk about general health and wellness issues as well as presenting the physician as a desirable ally in the patient’s quest for better quality of life.
It’s also valuable for physicians to be proactive about establishing a presence on social media. Perhaps they can be found at LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. As a result, they are regularly publishing positive information about their practice and they are aware of what others may be saying about them.
Physicians are busy professionals who do not have a great deal of free time. Accordingly, it makes sense for them to delegate many of the tasks connected to managing an online reputation to someone in their office or an outside service. Doing so can help to ensure the success of the practice.