How are Patients Choosing Doctors on Google?

Back in the old ages, before the world was not much familiar with technology, patients found their doctors through their friends and family’s advice.

Nowadays, people are moving somewhere from their home to other places for their work and other situations.  Due to this situation, friends and family can’t help them to advise or suggest which is the best hospital or clinic around them during an emergency.

Now the Internet plays a major role by helping the patients to find out their desired healthcare partner near them. Patients find a doctor within a few clicks based on their location, language and his specialization. 

Now, it’s in the hands of the doctor to show up their clinic presence to their neighboring patients who are eagerly in need of you. In this article, we can help you with how patients are searching doctors via the internet through multiple platforms. 

How Patients searching for a healthcare provider in search engine

• We carried out some surveys of 2000+ consumers about how patients select doctors or clinics or hospitals. This study revealed a gold mine of information that can help you in getting an idea for attracting new patients.

• These days nearly 57% of internet users are searching for doctors for their treatment and second opinion. 

• Patients have many online options to find potential healthcare providers. Below are some of the most important services for making decisions. 

1. Website 

2. Online Patient Reviews

3. Directory listings 

4. Social media

1.Websites

Website is the primary tool for the doctor to show their presence at all times. During an emergency, patients can contact you even beyond working hours. At the same time, a well-optimized website allows patients to schedule an appointment.

The internet and how we will present ourselves play a main role in this. According to the present report, 45% of internet customers use hospital websites to locate a physician, where it was 38% during 2017.

Make sure your website has the options that people exactly need. This includes, according to the study:

Services: Here patients can quickly and easily determine whether a medical practice provides the services they require by visiting the services page.

Specialty: You may have specialized in particular treatments, which must be listed on your websites to compete with other doctors for patients.

Life Changing Stories: Adding some life-changing stories about your patients who overcame their problems on your website in the form of a blog or video can create a positive vibe among the potential visitors.

Patient Testimonials: According to a recent survey, 92 percent of potential patients examine internet reviews of their healthcare provider before scheduling an appointment, and 67 percent say these reviews influence their decision. It is the key point for your conversion.

Image Gallery: Including an image gallery allows patients to show your recent work and infrastructures, demonstrating the possibilities you have to offer and the scope of your capabilities.

Online booking & contact: 48% of people prefer to plan appointments over the website appointment forms and phone calls.

Elements Attract patient’s:

• Indicate doctor pictures on website banners.
• Personal narrative from doctors like blogs, articles.
• Patient feedback like reviews in google (or) in video forms on your website.
• Patients will be able to attract easily with website content and user friendly sites.

2.Online patient reviews

Because nearly 71% of surveyed patients use internet reviews as their first step in selecting a new doctor, your online reputation is frequently the first impression you leave to many potential patients.

3. Directory listings

Patients get a wide range of details on directory listings. They can know about a doctor’s educational background, biographical information, specialty, Address, phone number, and patient reviews, in various sites like:

Google My Business Listing, Just Dial, Practo, Lybrate, Refadoc

4.Social Media Presence

People nowadays use social media to learn more about doctors. Almost 75% of individuals who use social media to find a healthcare provider found it helpful.

Many doctors didn’t have the time to keep up with such a massive process that could alter current trends at any point. They’ll require a healthcare digital marketing agency like us to help display their specialties and promote themselves to patients in the virtual world.