The healthcare industry has faced new challenges in recent years, especially those related to the use of online marketing on social networks. The practice optimization is one of the major driving forces to take the organization to a personal level by promoting it on digital platforms. Therefore, it’s important to know the advantages that these changes can provide to the medical industry.
- Digital marketing has breathed a new life in the healthcare industry by strengthening the visibility of the hospitality services and physicians in the online space.
- The digital content plays a vital role in mesmerizing and attracting the customer.
- Social networks have become a way for patients and prospective customers to find answers to their questions.
- It’s crucial because of the added value it can provide to the name or brand and also for the reputation it can build.
- Hospitals and providers have to promote their services mainly to create awareness, build customer loyalty, increase the patient flow and retain their customers.
- It’s a way to connect with patients and constantly nurture them with the right content.
People also have changed, they no longer choose their provider with a blind eye but instead, they intensively research star ratings and reviews from other consumers. Because of this the patient can feel 100% confident of being treated by the provider and most importantly, continue with the service. It’s understandable that bringing the digital world into the medical industry can generate fear and insecurities but the reality is that it’s the best tool to generate a good impression, it allows you to analyze results, get to know your customers better, generate more visits and most importantly, it’s an opportunity for your patients to feel comfortable and happy with your service.
The value of reputation management in healthcare
The patients’ journey begins when they feel the first symptoms and search on the healthcare website. That’s the first step for a patient to make a decision, that’s why it’s really important to take care of the reviews that customers are giving about you. Trust between doctor and patients has been key to the medical profession, this will help to build loyalty and to spread the word to more patients.
Social media and health portals have become important sources used by people to find health care solutions. A few years ago, reputation was focused on a close circle of patients and professional environment; on the other hand, now, people make the final decision of their trusted physician after being exposed to comments and recommendations from others.
- 88% of people look online for health information.
- 70% of people report that the health information they find influences a decision about treatment, especially if it comes from other people.
- 72.9% of patients, the most important thing when it comes to choosing a doctor is the positive feedback and ratings
- 58.9% of patients say that any score lower than 4 is negative and they will not access the service
- A negative review can immediately drop your practice to the bottom of a patient’s call back list.
- The higher the rating and the more positive comments you get, the more potential customers you will attract.
Building an online reputation is a task that every medical professional should take into account to maintain the trust of patients. Having clear and positive recommendations from other patients, feeling listened to and appreciated. Reputation and social networking are topics of care but when they are properly used, they can be quite beneficial for both the physician and the patients. Taking care of your profile can generate a professional prestige and also gives the opportunity to provide peace of mind to patients and to potential users. With practice optimization, the patients have a neater and faster experience to access information and thus, to be part of the formation and care of the reputation of the provider.