Survey reveals majority of dental providers don't know how to influence online reputation

PatientPop released its 2018 Healthcare Providers Survey Report: Online Reputation Management, showing that the majority of medical and dental professionals do not know or are uncertain about how to positively affect their own practice reputation.

The nationwide survey examined evolving challenges and opportunities surrounding reputation management, including oversight of patient feedback, online reviews, and practice website testimonials.

The report indicated that more than three-quarters of healthcare providers (80%) feel maintaining a strong online reputation is extremely or very important. Most providers, though, receive reviews from very few patients. In fact, 71% percent receive reviews from 5% or fewer of their patients, suggesting the methods used to ask for reviews are inefficient.

“A well-managed online reputation has a significant influence on patients choosing a provider,” said Luke Kervin, PatientPop co-founder and co-CEO. “It also optimizes a provider’s prominence in search results. Providers with great reviews, a well-rounded online presence, and exceptional service stand out, and will see patients gravitate to their practice. The survey results confirm health-care providers currently aren’t doing enough to manage their online reputations.”

Promisingly, nearly half of healthcare providers surveyed are devoting more resources to managing their online reputation in 2018, and more than one-third of this group will increase their resources by up to 25%.

The report addresses several additional aspects of online reputation management. Other key findings include:

• Most providers fail to address negative reviews. Nearly 88% of respondents have at least some level of concern about receiving negative reviews, and nearly two-thirds (62%) say a patient has posted a negative review about their practice. Yet only 18% of providers have a process in place to follow up with patients who post a negative review.
• Providers are choosing outdated methods to manage online reputation. Most providers either use solutions that address only one aspect of reputation, or juggle several vendors at once, a strategy that demands additional staff time and budget.
• Office staff often carry the burden of online reputation tasks. More than 44% of practices with reputation management plans said they will ask current staff to spend more time on reputation-related tasks.

To download a copy of the 2018 Healthcare Providers Survey Report: Online Reputation Management, click here.

The survey was conducted during March and April with 200 medical and dental professionals participating in a 30-question survey. Questions were answered through an online survey, and the responses were collected by a third party.