Added January 21, 2018

According to a national research firm, today, the voice of patients directs 30-40% of where all care is given. This comes in the form of patient recommendations, physician ratings, and patient referrals. Patients have the greatest influence on healthcare delivery than they ever have had before. It is no surprise that this is the case. The internet and new technologies have given patients more visibility in their care, greater transparency, and a better understanding of what industry standards are.

For this reason, patient satisfaction is central to the success of healthcare facilities across the country. No longer can patient satisfaction be a buzzword that produces little to no action. Hospitals who improve patient satisfaction will not only be one step ahead of their competition, but they will be stronger financially and clinically.

Did you know: Doctors have 5-9% lower revenues if they have lower “star” ratings on physician review sites.

The main avenue a patient has today to voice their thoughts about their care is patient reviews. Before, during, and aftercare patients are actively voicing their experiences online, positive or negative, about their treatment.

Below are 10 brilliant ways to increase positive patient recommendations:

1. Use links to online physician profiles in all physician signature lines.
2. Give a patient the ability to review a doctor while at the office.
3. Use follow up calls as an opportunity to encourage physician reviews.
4. Provide a physician directory app that includes the ability to review a physician.
5. Promote physician reviews on your own website.
6. Send out surveys with reviews included.
7. Embed patient recommendations in your discharge routine.
8. Text message patients physician reviews as part of their appointment reminders.
9. Have your care team proactively call patients for reviews.
10. Use health fairs and meet-and-greets as a time to acquire patient reviews.

There are many ways to receive additional patient reviews. One of the keys is to break down the barriers to entry. The few patients (hopefully, only a few) who have negative reviews will make it so they will be heard. They can help identify broken processes and improve overall care. Those who have negative reviews have the motivation to find the avenues where they can voice theirs considers.

Getting those who have positive reviews to speak up is a harder challenge. The desired volume of these patients recommendations is harder because they are doing well after treatment and are busy going back to their lives. A healthcare organization who makes making the patient recommendation and reviews simple, who breaks down the barriers of entry, will find that the volume of positive reviews will come. This can have a positive impact on the physician and her physician group financially and clinically. Finding positive patient reviews can be straightforward as an organization focuses on making it simple and easy for the patient.