Yesterday’s word-of-mouth recommendations are being replaced by today’s online searches. It doesn’t matter if people are looking for a vacation rental, a new restaurant or a healthcare provider – chances are very good that they’ll consult Bing or Google to help them find what they’re looking for. That’s why it’s very important that your online profiles are up-to-date and show you at your best.Your three most important profiles (because they typically come up highest in searches) are the ones on your practice’s website, on the EvergreenHealth website and at healthgrades.com.
Here are some tips to make those profiles work:
- Make sure your practice name, address and phone number are correct. This information should match for all members of a group practice.
- Use a good quality photo. People do make judgments by your photo, so use one that is current, in color and shows you as approachable and caring. If you like, we can provide you with the photo used on the EvergreenHealth website.
- Make sure your specialty is listed correctly and includes detail that will help consumers connect with you; instead of just saying “orthopedics” say “orthopedics specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement.”
- Include personal info, especially things that relate to your work. For example, the active patient dealing with pain will feel a connection with a provider whose outside interests show they understand the active lifestyle; so if you hike, run, play tennis or like to garden, put it in your profile.
- Include your philosophy of care. This can be as simple as a couple of sentences that explain how you partner with your patients for their best care.
- List any current awards for yourself or the hospital, but make sure they are meaningful and up to date. If your profile lists “Top Doc 2009” and it’s 2014, patients will rightly wonder.
- Make sure the first sentence of your profile really sells you, as this is what the search engines typically excerpt. “Dr. Smith is board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery…”
Your profile on the EvergreenHealth website is maintained and updated regularly by EvergreenHealth. We’ll be embarking on an overhaul of these profiles in the next few weeks to make them even more attractive and informative for shoppers. All EHP providers will be receiving a questionnaire to complete to help us ensure your profile best represents you. We appreciate your assistance by completing and returning the forms as quickly as possible.
You may not even realize that you have a Healthgrades profile, and the information may be badly outdated. You need to “claim” your profile so you can make updates. EvergreenHealth has updated the Healthgrades profiles of its employed providers, but you are encouraged to make updates to your “conditions treated” and “procedures performed” sections.
Healthgrades also allows patients to rate their provider experience on a one-to-five star scale. For more on the growing importance of online reviews, check out this Wall Street Journal article "Doctors Check Online Ratings from Patients and Make Change."
Your online profiles position you to be found by consumers looking for healthcare professionals. Make sure you make the best impression.
If you have questions, or would like assistance with your online profiles, you can contact Gail Neubert, EvergreenHealth Sr. Communications Specialist, at gneubert@evergreenhealth.com