• Google you & your practice specifically
• Search for you and your practice until they find online reviews
• Determine if you’re the right doctor and practice for them
Websites appeal to potential patients performing online searches and help convert more of them into new patients for your practice. Let’s look at three reasons why having a website will yield new patients.
1. Puts You Where New Patients Are Searching For You Online
www.ratemds.com is the domain name for the physician review site, RateMDs. Thais website comes up immediately when you search “RateMDs” through Google. The same thing is happening to you – the 35% researching you online are finding information about you whether you know it or not. Your goal should be to control what information is shared. When creating your website, your domain name should be in one of two forms.
Selecting domain names like these will promote your controlled presence on Google. When patients (or colleagues or anyone else) Google you, you’ll know what they find!
2. Allows Patients To Relate To Each Other
Patients looking for a new physician want to read reviews from people they can relate to. Potential patients are much more likely to visit a doctor who is recommended by actual patients. Showcase testimonials about your credentials, practice, staff, and the experiences of real patients – it’s essential! Most patients read 2-10 reviews before choosing a doctor, so you’ll want at least that volume of positive reviews on your website (you’ll want even more across the Internet).
But be careful – you need the consent of patients before using reviews for anything. Not surprisingly, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has an impact on this subject. Call us for complimentary insight into the legal protection you need for your online reputation management campaign.
3. Everyone Appreciates The Time Of Day
Patients love doctors who make themselves available and communicate with them in a timely manner. You remember the person who emailed you back right away eager to help and not someone who left you wanting. A website provides patients with a personalized and private portal through which to communicate with your practice.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “I see patients all day. No way I have time to answer all those emails!”
That’s an easy fix. Link pages so inquiries are forwarded to an assistant, secretary, or even office manager. This will allow you to focus on patient care while still welcoming new patients to your practice.
Creating a website can be laborious, even with all the resources available at your fingertips. Remember that doing this yourself without the specialized knowledge may turn out to be too time consuming. Hiring somebody who has proven experience with website creation and online healthcare reputation management is worth three new patients a month – no question.
