In our interconnected world, what unfolds after a patient steps over the threshold of a medical group’s door can quickly become fodder for discussion – not only across the dinner table, but also across town and around the globe.
A Facebook status update from a patient cooling her heels for half an hour in the waiting room will quickly engender commiseration from friends and acquaintances. A medical assistant’s snub or a physician’s restiveness can trigger an indignant online review that negatively impacts a medical group’s bottom line. Conversely, friendly medical staff and compassionate patient encounters can garner accolades and five-star reviews, positive tweets and posts, and invaluable word-of-mouth advertising that help a high-growth medical group fulfill its potential.
Today, three out of four 30- to 49-year-olds are getting social, along with 90 percent of those 18-29 and half of those 50-64. These compelling numbers validate the necessity for a medical group to connect with patients on social media, yet they also underscore the need for actual engagement in the channels created. Unattended social media accounts become the resting place for unanswered concerns and complaints, which in turn can quickly sour a medical group’s online reputation.
And online reputation matters. CareCloud’s 2016 Patient Experience Index found that one in four patients had written an online review for a healthcare provider, and that one in ten had consulted a review website or conducted an online search prior to choosing a physician. General surveys have found that nine out of ten consumers regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and that two-thirds of consumers read between two and six reviews in order to form an opinion. Interestingly, consumers say that the overall star rating matters more than the quantity of reviews, and four out of ten consumers say reviews must be recent – written in the previous month – to be relevant.
Medical groups can draw two broad lessons from these findings. First, because patients are shouldering an increasing share of healthcare expenses – through higher premiums, deductibles, and co-pays – they are actively choosing where their healthcare dollars are spent. Therefore, customer service should be prioritized. During their visit, a patient can be greeted by name, engaged in person-to-person – rather than doctor-to-patient – interactions, and thanked for choosing the medical group. Outside of their visit, a patient can visit a personalized online portal to make appointments, send questions to providers, access their records, and order prescription refills. Personalization and convenience are key to creating exceptional customer service.
The second lesson is the importance of curating the medical group’s online reputation. A practice’s social media reach shouldn’t exceed its grasp. It’s critical to respond in near real-time to patients who offer kudos or complaints on a medical group’s social media channels. Similarly, it’s important to have fingers on the pulse of what patients are saying on third-party review sites. Thanking patients for their stellar reviews creates engagement that’s appreciated, and resolving issues with unhappy patients can result in revised reviews that showcase the practice’s commitment to its customers.
A five-star online reputation grows out of a culture of patient-centered care. That culture is created both by the people involved in the medical group and by the practice’s patient-facing technology.
