4 Steps to Getting More Patient Reviews For Your Practice

Online reviews are crucial for medical practices to build credibility and trust with potential patients. They also serve to boost a practice’s search engine ranking, making it easier for patients to find you online. However, obtaining good reviews can sometimes require unique approaches. Here are four steps to help you boost your number of reviews and their quality for your medical practice.

Request Thoughtful Reviews

Encouraging patients to leave a review face-to-face may be one of the most effective ways to get them. For patients who have had positive experiences at your medical practice, asking politely for their feedback prior to them leaving is a good way to secure a positive review. You may also follow-up with the patient through email, text, or call with a link to the review.

Automate Your Review Requests

Manually reaching out to patients for reviews can eat up resources and time. Automating your system could ensure consistency in outreach and potentially increase the number of reviews you can receive. Giving patients convenient avenues and resources to get to the review reduces any potential barriers they may encounter trying to get to it on their own. Also, giving patients the choice between text or email communications increases engagement.

Negative Reviews

When you encourage patients to give honest feedback, you may receive both positive and negative reviews on your page. While seemingly unfortunate, negative reviews are natural for your page and make it look more authentic. They provide you and your practice the opportunity to respond professionally and offer to address concerns directly offline. Some businesses attempt to cull the negative reviews left on their pages, but end up breaking Google’s policies and getting penalized for “reviewgating.” Avoid attempting to remove negative feedback, and prioritize working with the reviewer. This may create a stronger sense of customer service, which can help that patient have a better experience next time.

Incentives & Guidelines

Using incentives for your team members to ask for reviews is a great way to help your medical practice get more reviews online. These incentives must follow and fit within ethical and legal guidelines. For example, a team member who gets a review receives a gift card or a small cash bonus. Also, outline the guidelines for your team members to ensure the incentive system is understood.

Get More Patient Reviews Today

Online reviews play a vital role in growing your medical practice and attracting new patients. By following the steps above—actively requesting reviews, addressing negative feedback, and incentivizing your team to seek reviews—you can strengthen your online presence and build a strong reputation. These efforts not only enhance your credibility but also foster trust with both current and potential patients. If managing reviews becomes overwhelming, consider using a specialized review platform to streamline the process and ensure your practice maintains a positive online image. Work with MedShark Digital to learn more about enhancing your online presence to bring in more patients.