Your online reputation matters in any field, but it’s critical in plastic surgery because patients trust you with their health and appearance. A recent study found that almost 75% of patients check online reviews to find a new physician. And when someone is looking for a surgeon to do their breast augmentation, you can be sure they’ll check your online reputation and reviews before calling your office.
That is why you should focus on improving your patient experience to get the best possible reviews on Google Reviews, Yahoo, Yelp, Healthgrades, Facebook, and other important social media channels. When you have top reviews on these sites, expect your revenues to skyrocket.
In this article, we will talk about how online reviews can substantially increase your office’s revenues.
Online Reviews Show Patient Trust
When someone considers you for their facelift, tummy tuck, or eyelid lift, they are putting their health and well-being in your hands. Most patients want to be as sure as possible that you are a skilled surgeon with many satisfied customers over a long time.
That’s why so many people who are considering plastic surgery check your patient reviews to decide if they can trust you or not. After all, most patients have seen images of a facelift gone bad; no one wants that to happen to them.
When patients trust you, they are more likely to pay you to perform their surgeries – it’s that simple.
Referrals and Word of Mouth Boost Revenue
There is something to be said for search engine optimization and paid online advertising to obtain more plastic surgery procedure income. But word-of-mouth referrals are the best way to get more business– this has been seen repeatedly in many industries over decades.
Another survey found that 90% of people from 18-34 trust reviews they see online as much as personal references or referrals. That number isn’t just about plastic surgeons, but it suggests how much people trust online reviews, even if they don’t know them personally.
Online Reviews Enhance Public Reputation
Every plastic surgeon wants to generate more business from online reviews, but that feedback helps in another way: it enhances your reputation.
There are countless websites where past patients may be talking about you, and if you do great work, they boost your good name and indirectly bring you business. When you have five-star reviews on the major review sites – Google Reviews, Yelp, RealSelf, and HealthGrades – your outstanding reputation will be apparent to everyone who visits.
Word-of-mouth referrals are not just for people who know each other personally anymore; now, online reviews on social media and review sites count just as much for winning new business. When you have a top-notch online reputation, you’ll soon find more patients are calling you for their cosmetic procedures.
Positive Online Reviews Boost Your Star Rating
When you perform a Google search for your practice, you’ll notice several star ratings at the top. Before possible patients read a single review, those star ratings will tell them a story. That’s their initial impression, so you need to do everything you can to make sure it’s a great one!
You can make sure you have a top rating by having as many positive reviews as possible. Unfortunately, reputation management in plastic surgery is more complex than in other fields; HIPAA can make it difficult for surgeons to respond to a negative review.
Therefore, the best path forward is to push down any negative reviews with many good reviews.
You want to have the best rating you can because a study shows that getting a one-star bump in your rating can increase your practice revenue by 5-9%. So any plastic surgeon who wants to make more money should focus like a laser on their star rating.
Survey Shows Importance of Online Reviews
Surveys regularly illustrate how critical online reviews are for patients. For example, Patientpop.com conducted a 2019 survey of 839 people to understand the importance of online reviews when selecting a new healthcare provider. The results showed that online reviews can make or break many physicians and surgeons.
- 74.6% reported they looked online to learn about a physician or dentist.
- When selecting a new doctor, 70% said they highly valued positive online reviews in making their decision.
- 52% of patients who have submitted a negative online review were not contacted by the healthcare practice.
- When the practice addresses negative feedback, patient satisfaction soared to 99%.
- Patients from 30-44 check online reviews 65% of the time when looking for a new doctor, and 40% post a review.
Conclusion
There is one clear path to attract more patients: Earn them. Work as hard as you can to improve your patients’ satisfaction, so they give you the best online reviews of any surgeon in your city. You can be sure that your prospective patients will check your online reputation before contacting you.
When they call, train your staff to answer the phone quickly, and always go to great lengths to make each patient feel special. When you show your patients this kind of care and respect, they will reward you with stellar online reviews.
More about the Practice
Dr. Scott Farber and Dr. Amita Shah are board-certified plastic surgeons and are the founders of Hill Country Plastic Surgery in San Antonio, Texas. They have years of experience in the field in an academic setting and a hospital center and have handled the most complicated cosmetic surgical procedures in the field with impressive results.
Our surgeons have an outstanding reputation for providing a skilled, meticulous, and personalized approach to their procedures. Every patient is treated as a family member, and they are proud to have patients who come from around Texas and the country who want our plastic surgeons to help them achieve their goals.
For more information about our practice, please visit Hill Country Plastic Surgery in San Antonio.
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