Top 10 doctor review sites for your healthcare clients
Collecting online reviews on the top doctor review sites is crucial for the online visibility and reputation of your clients in the healthcare industry. According to Google, healthcare is one of the top three categories where consumers check reviews most often (home services and automotive are the other two in the top three. It makes sense: People want to ensure their health is in the best of hands, so it makes sense that they’d check the reviews of any doctor they’re considering making an appointment with.
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But how can reviews and responding to those reviews benefit your healthcare clients’ practices? Which doctor review sites should be prioritized? To address these concerns, we have compiled a list of the top 10 doctor review sites that your healthcare clients should be listed on.
Table of Contents
- Google: Everyone’s review site, healthcare or not
- Facebook: Yes, really
- Healthgrades: The ultimate doctor review site
- Vitals: A go-to healthcare review site for many
- ZocDoc: A user-friendly doctor review site
- Wellness.com: For every type of healthcare provider and practice
- RateMDs: Doctor reviews and patient questions, answered
- Caring.com: A healthcare review site for caregivers
- A Place for Mom: A healthcare review site for homecare providers
- SeniorAdvisor.com: A senior care network for families
Why doctor review sites are important for your healthcare clients’ online presence
Doctor and hospital review sites are vital for various reasons. For starters, potential patients rely heavily on healthcare and doctor review sites to decide whether or not to make an appointment. If a patient comes across negative reviews about your client or their practice—or worse, no reviews at all—they will likely seek out a different doctor or clinic where they feel they will get better care and service.
Additionally, reviews play a significant role in Google's algorithm. This means that doctors who get more reviews and better reviews will rank higher on Google via their Google Business Profile. This is essential because 87% of consumers who perform a local search on their smartphones schedule an appointment or call within a day. Therefore, if your healthcare client is not among the first results on the first page, your clients risk missing out on a lot of potential new patients.
Why is Google so important? Over 80% of consumers used Google to evaluate local businesses in the past two years.
The top three factors of importance include:
- Overall star rating
- How recent the reviews are
- Total number of reviews
Also, based on a recent study, 89% of consumers are “highly” or “fairly” likely to use a business that responds to all of its online reviews. This is why it is so critical to leverage reputation management software like Vendasta’s Reputation Management to help your clients curate and respond to all reviews from all pertinent sources in a timely manner.
To help you build the online presence of your clients, we have identified ten popular doctor review sites that every healthcare practitioner should be listed on.
1. Google: Everyone’s review site, healthcare or not
Having a Google Business Profile can significantly impact the search rankings and online reputation of your healthcare clients. Google's algorithm considers various aspects such as proximity, relevancy, and brand to determine which businesses should appear on top of local search results. When people look for healthcare providers (doctors, dentists, dermatologists, etc.) in their area, reviews alongside a map of nearby locations will be displayed in the search results. These are weighted by those factors in addition to location data accuracy and a positive review score.
Note that from recent studies, 92% of consumers will use a local business if it has at least a 4-star rating and 91% of consumers acknowledged positive reviews made them more likely to support a business. By helping your healthcare clients claim their Google Business Profile, you can set them up for success. Getting reviews on Google Business Profile can enhance your client’s reputation and engagement (more appointments equals more patients).
2. Facebook: Yes, really
A client’s Facebook Business page will showcase ratings and reviews from Facebook users. As an essential component of the page, it cannot be concealed or manipulated. Anyone who has a Facebook account can access and leave a review for your client’s practice.
Considering that approximately two thirds of Americans use Facebook, it’s easy to understand why it’s a popular choice for patients.
3. Healthgrades: The ultimate doctor review site
Being featured on Healthgrades is essential for healthcare providers due to its immense popularity, with nearly 20 million visitors every month. This directory includes an extensive and searchable database of hospital, dentist, and physician profiles, and is consulted by a quarter of all online patients when selecting a healthcare provider.
4. Vitals: A go-to healthcare review site for many
With a monthly traffic of over 3 million visitors, Vitals consistently secures high rankings in the healthcare search category.
It is a go-to doctor review site for patients looking for their next provider, thanks to its advanced search functionality that allows patients to search for practices based on name, location, specialty, and even insurance accepted.
5. ZocDoc: A user-friendly doctor review site
ZocDoc's primary objective is to assist patients in finding doctors who accept their insurance, while also offering an online and mobile appointment booking service for a listing fee. Patients can easily search for practices based on standard criteria such as name, location, specialty, and insurance accepted.
6. Wellness.com: For every type of healthcare provider and practice
Wellness.com is a doctor review site that features a comprehensive directory of healthcare providers across multiple locations. Patients can effortlessly search for practices based on their specialty and location, spanning a wide range of healthcare professionals such as cardiologists and podiatrists.
7. RateMDs: Doctor reviews and patient questions, answered
RateMDs provides patients with a platform to search for physicians based on their name, location, specialty, and gender. In addition, the doctor review site has a forum and blog section where patients can have their health-related queries answered.
8. Caring.com: A healthcare review site for caregivers
Caring.com is a prominent healthcare review site catering to caregivers seeking information and support while caring for their elderly parents, spouses, and other loved ones.
The website provides thousands of original articles, useful tools, and expert advice from over 50 leading professionals, along with a community of caregivers.
9. A Place for Mom: A healthcare review site for homecare providers
A Place for Mom provides caregivers with the tools and resources necessary to make informed decisions regarding senior living for their loved ones. Services include in-depth knowledge and vital information, personalized guidance, and seamless coordination when required.
A Place for Mom has a vast senior care network, comprising over 14,000 communities and 3,000 homecare providers, and is the largest in the United States.
10. SeniorAdvisor.com: A senior care network for families
SeniorAdvisor.com is a healthcare review site that strives to provide families with the most accurate and reliable information regarding senior care and services, empowering consumers to make informed decisions. The website offers services to families at no charge.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get reviews from patients?
Agencies can help clients in the healthcare industry get reviews from patients by providing an easy way for patients to leave reviews, asking for reviews, encouraging positive reviews, and addressing negative reviews.
They can leverage white label reputation management software, provide templates for follow-up emails or text messages to patients, and train healthcare staff on excellent customer service to increase positive reviews. Additionally, they can help mitigate any negative impact of bad reviews on the client's reputation by encouraging clinic staff to respond to reviews using industry best practices.
What is most commonly used to measure patient experience?
The most commonly used method to measure patient experience in the healthcare industry is the patient survey. These surveys can be conducted through different channels, such as email, text message, or phone call, and can include questions about various aspects of the patient's experience, including communication with staff, cleanliness of the facility, and overall satisfaction.
What is the best way to improve patient satisfaction?
The best way to improve patient satisfaction in the healthcare industry is to provide excellent customer service and patient-centered care. This includes being attentive to patient needs, communicating clearly and effectively, involving patients in decision-making, and providing a comfortable and welcoming environment.
