Have you ever wanted to see a movie, but first asked your friends about it? If they’ve seen it and what they thought about it?
I often do and what I usually hear are very conflicting reviews of the movie. One friend will tell me they love it, and another will in detail tell me how much they dislike it.
As a result I find myself in a passive mode. My heart wants to listen to my friend who loved it, but the my other friend’s description of why they disliked it keeps showing up in my mind–effectively putting my decision on hold or causing me to consider another movie.
Fortunately, I can go online and search for some actual facts. From the movie’s own website or from another trusted source, I can read more about the plot, characters and actors. This creates a more balanced view in my mind and I can comfortably make my decision.
The situation of today’s healthcare providers
But what if I searched for information online and all the results I got were just more very conflicting user-generated reviews similar to those of my friends, and no official site to balance the search results?
That is the exact situation for most patients searching for health information and healthcare providers today.
- 80% of U.S. internet users search for health information online
- 60% of these patients say the information found online affected their health decisions
Knowing how many of us search for health information online, and how greatly what we find impacts our decisions, shouldn’t your medical practice’s online presence be an integral part of your medical practice’s strategy?
First step: assess the situation, search your physician’s names and your practice’s name. Search it now!
What are the search results from Google? Who controls your patients’ first impression?
- 41% of online health searchers read about somebody else’s experience with medical issues and providers (data from Pew Research Center)
- 24% consult online rankings and reviews of physicians and medical practices