Michael Epps Utley {kind=image/jpg}
Patient reviews are more important than ever for your marketing, but how can you get a steady stream of them (with great star ratings to boot)? It starts with understanding the psychology of reviews for you, your patients, and the readers of reviews.
Care without compassion is one of the biggest complaints in healthcare. Even though poor customer service is widespread, 94% of patients say that reviews impact the selection of a care provider.
At GoEpps, we often discuss the "stagecraft" of our work to wrap our product (marketing ROI) in good communication (customer service). Many healthcare providers resist including marketing as part of “their job.” Yes, communication is a step removed from taking in information and providing a diagnosis. But it is undeniable: patient confidence in any treatment or diagnosis is impacted by how it is delivered. And that communication starts with expectations before the consultation room door is even opened.
Why Reviews Matter in Healthcare
Reviews in healthcare, then, are the beginning of care delivery in that they establish trust. Trust is the lynchpin of care delivery, where patients need to be a part of their own health journey. The stagecraft of care delivery includes setting this trust for your care early with reviews and building on it with the intake and care delivery.
The Internet does not make this easy. There isn’t one place to go and simply buy a good reputation. It requires ongoing management of a number of profiles of your practice. Plus, as our friend Bill Seaver says, “The deer have guns now.” Marketing used to be a one-way conversation. Now, it is a true conversation, and it’s a conversation happening in public. Your reviews are happening whether you want them to or not. And your potential patients are seeing them, whether you want them to or not. Reviews are the social proof that good care deliverers earn for people making sensitive decisions. And they are not going to go away.
Reviews Are Operations “Gold”
My wife took one of our kids to get blood drawn this week here in Nashville at Hospital One. Then, the next day, she took a friend to an appointment at Hospital Two. I won’t name names here, but she reported that the experiences were night and day. Parking, getting to the right lab, and the desk staff at Hospital One were horrendous. Hospital Two, however, delivered a great experience. As I write this, I am 100% confident that her reviews of each hospital will be delivered verbally to a group of women meeting for a porch hang. If you are not using reviews to improve operations, it’s being done for you in the streets and on the P&L.
Within healthcare delivery itself, reviews should be your number one source of data for improving operations and care. “Kaizen” is Japanese for continuous improvement. Reviews are step one in a cycle of kaizen you can use to drive up how your care is perceived.
Psychological Drivers Behind Writing Reviews
One mistake care providers make is equating gaining reviews with self-promotion. This fear assumes that getting reviews is “salesy.” Yes, reviews are for getting your name out there, but they also allow your patients to feel heard and help others find the right care fit. By tapping into that side of your patients’ experience, you don’t need to be self-promotional.
Nature abhors a vacuum, and if you don’t participate in the reviews conversation, other sources of information will take your place. But by using a reviews process that actually serves patients, you can “enter through a different door.”
Strategies to Encourage Positive Reviews
So, with a positive approach toward reviews for your organization, let’s get into how to do this well. First, deliver great care. When patients feel cared for through attentive listening, clear communication, and compassionate treatment, they’re much more likely to share that experience with others.
The best time to ask for a review is shortly after the visit, especially when the outcome has been positive or the patient expresses satisfaction. This is when the experience is fresh and emotions are high. To maximize response rates, make it as easy as possible: provide a direct link to your Google review page via email or text, or display a QR code at the front desk or on take-home materials so patients can leave feedback by scanning the code.
How to Ask for Reviews (Without Sounding Pushy)
Asking for reviews doesn’t have to feel awkward or pushy when done with sincerity and respect. A simple, personal script like “We’re so glad you chose us for your care. If you have a moment, we’d really appreciate a quick review on Google” can go a long way. To streamline the process, consider sending automated emails or text messages with a direct link to leave a review. Involving your team also helps make the request feel natural. Train staff to recognize happy patients and gently mention how much their reviews help others find quality care.
Handling Negative Reviews With Care
Handling negative reviews with care is essential to maintaining a strong online reputation. For reviews in the healthcare space, we recommend simply acknowledging the review and asking the reviewer to contact the office. It is critical not to set anyone up to respond to reviews with personal information or any response that one could infer as information.
Need help? We can help you get your reputation plan in place, along with patient volume growth. Give us a call.
