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Why Proactive Online Reputation Management Is Critical for Private Practice Physicians

With the majority of patients now relying on online information and reviews to find and choose their doctors, online reputation management has become a part of the business of medicine. Physicians in our communities often discuss negative patient reviews and what to do about them, and it is clear that most worry about professional and financial repercussions from negative patient reviews. A physician’s reputation can significantly influence patient trust, the success of a private practice, and even relationships with colleagues and the broader healthcare community. Therefore, being proactive about reputation management online is a focus of many physicians. Below, we’ll cover why this is so important and best practices to follow based on the input of members of our physician communities.  


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4 reasons reputation management is essential for physician practices

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What Exactly is Online Reputation Management?


Reputation management is the process of actively shaping and safeguarding one’s reputation. This can be proactive or reactive (and both are encouraged). Key components include monitoring what is being said about you or your brand, as well as creating responses and/or proactive content to impact how your practice or business is perceived. Of course, your goal is to make sure that your brand is putting its best face forward to the world, in hopes that people searching for you will have a positive impression.


What online reputation management is and the key components to managing your online profile

Why Reputation Management is Essential for Physicians



The Shift to Online Research Prior to Picking a Physician


Patients and prospective future patients are now regularly turning to the internet to research healthcare providers online before choosing a physician. Websites like Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, and Zocdoc allow patients to read reviews, check ratings, and learn about a physician’s style, expertise, and patient care approach. A strong online reputation can lead to an influx of new patients, while negative reviews can drive potential patients away, so online reputation management needs to be a part of your marketing plan for your private practice



Building Trust with Patients and Referring Physicians


Reputation management can be a powerful tool for building trust with your patients, both before and after they become patients. Future patients will look for positive feedback when determining a physician’s credibility, and that will shape the lens with which they see you in the future. Additionally, if they’re upset about something later, before they post their own negative reviews, they may look to see if it is a trend in other reviews, or if they should give you the benefit of the doubt. Similarly, they may send your profile with reviews to others they are referring to your practice. In general, when patients trust their doctors, they are also more likely to follow medical advice, return for regular checkups, and refer others to the practice. 



Differentiation in a Competitive Market or Specialty


Before internet reviews, physicians primarily relied on print advertising or word of mouth for new patient acquisition. Nowadays, many future patients rely primarily on the internet or internet forums to find physicians. This means that it can be difficult to maintain a competitive edge when the phrase “dermatologist near me” produces thousands of search results. Having a good reputation for yourself and your practice can help set you apart in a future patient’s search when faced with a lot of options that sound similar or in fields where a lot of money is being poured into marketing.



Handling Negative Reviews and Preventing Escalation


As we know all too well, no matter how wonderful a doctor or clinic is, it’s impossible to avoid negative patient reviews completely. Sometimes patients will have grievances with factors out of your control (insurance reimbursement, wait time, pseudoscience) and unfortunately those are often the patients most motivated to share their experience online. Having a proactive approach to your reputation management will allow you to quickly address any negative feedback and remediate a possible PR disaster from occurring. Keeping a close eye on whenever a negative review is posted will give you the opportunity to reach out to a patient as soon as it happens (and before they go on to 5 different sites to post the same thing) and give your practice an opportunity to make a negative impression right or work something out with them that addresses their concerns. This may also give you a chance to address something before a patient files a complaint with the medical board or even files a malpractice suit.



Steps to Implement Proactive Reputation Management Of Online Patient Reviews, Listings, and Social Media


8 steps to implement proactive reputation management

While many celebrities often get the advice of “don’t google yourself”, doctors don’t have this option. Online reviews are here to stay, and every practice should likely have a system in place to engage proactively in online reputation management. 


This could be done by regularly checking reviews yourself, but these days, most practices opt to have a monitoring service in place that will alert them to negative reviews or misinformation posted on the major healthcare review and ratings platforms. These services also help build positive online reviews by encouraging happy patients to post their reviews, and making it easy to do so.


 If you want assistance in enhancing your online reputation and patient acquisition you can use a reputation management platform to conduct everything in one place. 


Related PSG Resource:

  • We have partnered with RepuGen to provide physicians access to a powerful reputation management platform designed to enhance patient acquisition and drive business growth, while integrating seamlessly with existing systems. Its automated patient feedback collection and review generation helps practices build positive online reviews and reduce negative reviews. PSG members receive 50% off the integration fee, as well as the Testimonial Widget and CommentWiz tools for free when they sign up through our affiliate link.


That said, here are the things you or your service will want to do:



1. Claim and Optimize Your Online Listings


If you are a practicing physician, you already have profiles on most relevant healthcare platforms (Google My Business, Healthgrades, Vitals, etc). Claiming these profiles and completing them with accurate information will be key to helping your patients find your practice and have the correct information. Be sure to put your office’s hours, specialties, services, and your educational background. It’s also a good idea to add a professional photo and bio to help humanize your profile and appear more inviting to future patients. 



2. Encourage Positive Reviews


Unfortunately, when it comes to writing reviews, many patients are only quick to give 

feedback when they’ve had an especially negative experience. Asking satisfied patients 

to leave reviews and instructing them how to do so can quickly increase your number of 

positive reviews. In addition, setting up automated reminders in your patient 

management software to give feedback can be highly effective in getting your overall number of reviews up, negating negative feedback as well as showcasing the popularity of your patients by the number of reviews submitted.


Tip: Make sure you collect reviews from a diverse range of patients. A mix of 

experiences can give a more authentic representation of your practice and help patients 

feel seen.



3. Monitor your Online Reputation Regularly


As previously mentioned, if you don’t have a reputation management system, it’s important to consistently be checking your online presence. Setting Google Alerts to track any mentions of your name, practice, or keywords related to your specialty can also help you to better monitor things instead of just trying to remember to Google your name periodically. 



4. Respond to Reviews - Both Positive and Negative 


Reviews work best when you are a part of the conversation. When patients leave positive reviews, it’s important to thank them for their kind words and express your appreciation for trusting you with their care. Negative reviews are arguably even more important to respond to as it shows you care about their feedback and are responsive. Apologize for any lapse in service, acknowledge the patient’s experience, and offer a solution/invite the patient to contact you directly to remediate the issue. Remember not to discuss any private medical details in a public forum and to stick to neutral, empathetic language. 


Related PSG Resource:



5. Leverage Social Media


Social media can be an organic and effective tool for building relationships with current and prospective patients. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can all provide you with a personal yet professional way to connect with your patients. Content might include things such as educational posts to your medical specialty, patient testimonials (with permission), behind-the-scenes glimpses at your practice/medical events, and health tips/articles. 


Related PSG Resources:

  • Guide to Marketing a Private Practice for Physicians

  • Our sponsors at GMR Web Team offer a comprehensive suite of digital marketing solutions for physicians, including SEO, content creation, website design/management, and more. GMR can help you build a strong online presence, cultivate patient loyalty, and achieve sustainable growth for your practice. PSG members receive 20% off blog writing services, website design, and website hosting when they sign up through our affiliate link.



6. Address Complaints and Negative Feedback off the Record


While it is important to address negative feedback publicly in a general, kind way, it is also important to offer to address the issue in person/via phone/or through other private channels. By offering to resolve issues in private, you prevent escalation and maintain professionalism. If a review is false, defamatory, or violates a platform’s guidelines, most review websites will have a process to dispute and remove the content.



7. Educate Your Staff 


As a physician, you have quality control over your own care and practice. And while you 

may not have total control over the actions of your staff, it’s important to ensure they are

  trained in high-quality customer service, how to handle patient concerns with empathy, 

conflict-resolution, and professionalism. This is especially important as your staff are 

often the first point of contact a potential patient has with your practice via phone calls, 

in-person interactions, and digital communication. 



8. Utilize Online Reputation Management


As aforementioned, doctors can use online reputation management tools to automate 

much of the process. These tools save time by helping gather reviews, monitor feedback, provide recovery for dissatisfied patients, and streamline responses.  



Additional Best Practices for Maintaining a Positive Online Reputation


Be Transparent and Honest


In order to avoid potential conflicts/negative patient experiences, be transparent about treatment options, costs, and any potential risks. The more informed and in control of their experience a patient feels, the happier they will be, which will of course lead to better reviews, but is also just good patient care.



Follow Up with Patients


Following up with patients after they receive your care through a phone call/email/automated text message can help patients feel valued and cared for. It’s also a great opportunity to address concerns/dissatisfaction before a patient turns to public forums. 



Stay Up to Date with Technology


Investing in strong patient management/charting software, telemedicine services, and secure messaging platforms will help your practice’s reputation as well as your ability to be a forward-thinking tech-savvy practice. 



Conclusion


Proactive reputation management is an essential strategy for physicians in an increasingly competitive healthcare market. By taking a comprehensive approach that includes building a strong online presence, providing exceptional patient care, engaging with the community, and actively managing reviews, physicians can safeguard their reputation and ensure the long-term success of their practice. With a well-maintained reputation, physicians not only attract more patients but also build trust and credibility within the broader healthcare landscape, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and impactful career.



Additional Resources for Private Practice Doctors


Explore our related private practice articles and resources 

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