Take control of your digital presence

There are more than 60 websites that provide physician information online Are you doing all you can to monitor and protect your online reputation Do you knowhellip

bull All the places people can find your information

bull How to make changes if your information is incorrect

bull How heavily consumers trust online reviews

You canrsquot afford to leave your online reputation to chance Here are five steps for getting more value from your online reviews and protecting your online reputation

Find where your information lives and make sure itrsquos right

More than 3 million people each day search for a physician online When a patient enters a physicianrsquos name a condition or diagnosis into a

search engine physician review sites typically rank at the top of the page due to their high search engine optimization But the quality and accuracy of your information on these sites vary widely

STEP 1 Ensure that your basic contact information is accurate on the highest-ranked review sites (those at the top of the search results) and on Google Places

5 Ways to Maximize Your Digital Presence

Claim your profile on prominent physician data sites

Embrace Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by updating your profile on prominent physician

data sites This detailed information will make your practice more relevant and discoverable online for patients and referring physicians

STEP 2 Update all of your practice names subspecialties conditions treated procedures performed education training awards publications and insurance information

Build patient trust through personalization

When asked to describe a high-quality provider 59 of Americans focus on doctor-patient relationships and personality rather than on the delivery of care You are not just a specialty or star

rating Patients want to hear about what is important to you

STEP 3 Wherever possible make your online presence reflective of who you are and what you do Add individual statements about you and your practice Include a professional portrait and share evidence about your unique skills characteristics and care philosophy

Encourage patients to rate their experience

Most physician data sites include structured surveysmdashproviding patient experience scores and comments Yet on average physicians have less than 12 survey scores which cannot accurately

represent their practice Why do reviews matter Knowing what others have experienced gives us a good sense of what wersquore likely to experience Hanauer et al published a study in JAMA stating that 59 of the patients surveyed indicated that patient experience ratings are very or somewhat important in selecting a physician

STEP 4 Invite your patients to rate their experience on credible review sites More patient reviews will more accurately represent your overall patient satisfaction and help protect your reputation

copy Copyright 2015 Healthgrades Operating Company Inc Patent US Nos 7752060 and 8719052 All Rights Reserved

Refine and enhance your Healthgrades profile

Your online presence belongs in your hands A great place to start building your online brand is through Healthgradescom Healthgrades is the 1 online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals More than a million

visitors each day use the site to search compare and connect with physicians and hospitals that best meet their healthcare needs

STEP 5 Enhance your Healthgrades profile today to help patients learn what makes your practice unique

Medical ReferencesPew Internet Project Health Fact Sheet Pew Research Center 5 March 2015 httpwwwpewinternetorgfact-sheetshealth-fact-sheet

Pfeffer G MD Raising the Bar for Online Physician Review Sites American Journal of Orthopedics 201544(1)11 httpwwwamjorthopedicscomid=25336

Hanauer DA Zheng K Singer DC Gebremariam A Davis MM Public Awareness Perception and Use of Online Physician Rating Sites Journal of the American Medical Association 2014311(7)734-735 httpjamajamanetworkcomarticleaspxarticleid=1829975

Leslie J Patient Use of Online Reviews Industry View 2014 Software Advice 5 March 2015 httpwwwsoftwareadvicecommedicalindustryviewonline-reviews-report-2014

Finding Quality Doctors How Americans Evaluate Provider Quality in the United States The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research 5 March 2015 httpwwwapnorcorgprojectsPagesfinding-quality-doctors-how-americans-evaluateprovider-quality-

copy Copyright 2015 Healthgrades Operating Company Inc Patent US Nos 7752060 and 8719052 All Rights Reserved

Refine and enhance your Healthgrades profile

Your online presence belongs in your hands A great place to start building your online brand is through Healthgradescom Healthgrades is the 1 online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals More than a million

visitors each day use the site to search compare and connect with physicians and hospitals that best meet their healthcare needs

STEP 5 Enhance your Healthgrades profile today to help patients learn what makes your practice unique

Medical ReferencesPew Internet Project Health Fact Sheet Pew Research Center 5 March 2015 httpwwwpewinternetorgfact-sheetshealth-fact-sheet

Pfeffer G MD Raising the Bar for Online Physician Review Sites American Journal of Orthopedics 201544(1)11 httpwwwamjorthopedicscomid=25336

Hanauer DA Zheng K Singer DC Gebremariam A Davis MM Public Awareness Perception and Use of Online Physician Rating Sites Journal of the American Medical Association 2014311(7)734-735 httpjamajamanetworkcomarticleaspxarticleid=1829975

Leslie J Patient Use of Online Reviews Industry View 2014 Software Advice 5 March 2015 httpwwwsoftwareadvicecommedicalindustryviewonline-reviews-report-2014

Finding Quality Doctors How Americans Evaluate Provider Quality in the United States The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research 5 March 2015 httpwwwapnorcorgprojectsPagesfinding-quality-doctors-how-americans-evaluateprovider-quality-