The Impact of Negative Reviews on a Doctor's Professional Profile | Healthcare SEO Agency in Bangalore

Introduction

You have been facing acne-related problems for a couple of weeks. You have tried all homemade remedies but in vain. Worried by frequent acne eruptions, you call your friend for advice. Your friend suggests that you visit a dermatologist. But she hasn’t seen any dermatologist yet and advises you-

“Google and read reviews of dermatologists around you. Based on public comments, we can decide on the doctor.”

So, you finally visit a doctor after seeing ratings and reading reviews on Google.

In the present times, this is how the Internet has become an indispensable part of our life. From searching for eateries to holiday destinations to doctor’s clinics, today, we rely heavily on the Internet. The proliferation of technologies has had a massive impact on human life. Like all other fields, the healthcare sector is also in the grasp of digitalization. Thanks to healthcare digital marketing  consultancy in Bangalore for its powerful impact on the digital medium over the last few years. We can now easily get information on a particular doctor, hospital, or other health-related topics from various sources available on the Internet. Life undoubtedly has become easy and comfortable. We are just a click away from gathering the required information at our convenience.

But has technology made our life really easy and comfortable? Or confusing and challenging? To answer the questions, we must first understand the influence of digital media on doctors and the entire healthcare sector.

Impact of online reviews on doctor’s career

Health is of utmost priority for every human being. From minute to complex diseases, we seek the advice of healthcare specialists to minimize life risks. Nowadays, we are mostly dependent on Google and other search engines for quick and relevant information. Online sources have helped healthcare professionals to become popular and have made common men aware of their presence. With increased visibility, we look up reviews on a doctor or a hospital before visiting them. Hence, online reviews play a crucial role in the decision-making of the ones seeking medical help.  

The power of online reviews

There is no shortage of information on the Internet. Information on a Doctor’s professional profile and hospitals is easily available. Perhaps, the Healthcare digital marketing agency in Bangalore has aggravated the online presence of doctors and healthcare professionals in a number of ways. But such a scenario has both a positive and negative outcome. Everyone can now write a review and share their personal experiences about a healthcare provider. A Positive review blooms a doctor’s reputation, while a negative review immensely impacts the professional profile. Let us highlight the consequences of negative reviews on a doctor’s career.

Consequences of negative reviews

In the digital era, online reviews have tremendous power. And the healthcare sector is no exception. Research has shown that people make decisions by reading online reviews. Thus, a profile that has negative reviews questions the competencies of the doctor. It shows that the doctor is incapable of providing satisfactory service to the patients. Some consequences of negative reviews are-

1. Impact on trust and credibility

It takes years of hard work for a doctor to build trust among patients. Negative reviews erode professionalism. Patients have a negative impact and become skeptical about visiting the doctor.

2. Decreased turn-out of new-patients

Erosion of trust and credibility decreases the number of new-patients visiting the doctor. In light of negative reviews, patients seek alternative healthcare providers.

3. Harms reputation

Reputation is important while building a career in healthcare. Negative reviews harm the reputation and damage a doctor’s brand image. A doctor’s years of dedication and hard work take a toll by impacting their overall presence in the medical domain.  

4. Damages doctor-patient relationship

Negative reviews also make existing patients doubtful about visiting the doctor. Upon reading negative reviews, they start questioning the doctor. It damages the doctor’s professionalism and hinders the process of diagnosis and treatment.

Causes of negative reviews

There can be various causes of negative reviews. And understanding those causes is important. Doctors should explore the causes to reduce the impacts of negative reviews on their professional careers. The causes of negative reviews are-

1. Behavioral issues

Healthcare is a sensitive domain. Common people often do not understand complex health issues. Patients and their family members are mostly unaware of diseases and medicines. They question doctors several times to understand their health condition. The doctor’s polite and understanding nature makes the patient comfortable. However, impolite behavior leads to a negative impact on patients, giving way to negative reviews.

2. Communication problems

Understanding complicated medical procedures is difficult. Patients are often confused if the doctor’s explanation doesn’t satisfy them. Also, language becomes a hindrance at times leading to negative reviews online.

3. Long waiting time

A greater number of patients leads to long waiting times. Also, delayed appointments or the doctor’s late arrival can create dissatisfaction among patients, increasing the cluster of negative reviews online.

4. Administrative incompetence

Administrative issues include billing problems and insurance claims. It also relates to impolite staff behavior and other inefficiencies making the patients express their concerns through negative reviews.

5. Treatment outcomes

Treatment procedures may not result in favorable outcomes for all patients. Also, at times certain procedures might lead to complex health conditions. Such situations raise eyebrows among the common man. They question the competency of the doctor by writing negative reviews on digital platforms.

Measures to reduce the impacts of negative reviews

Healthcare digital marketing has become significant in making the doctor’s profile reach a large audience on the digital platform. With increased popularity, people search for the doctor’s profile online. They are eager to learn about other people’s experiences who have already visited the doctor. Like the positive reviews, they are also able to read the negative reviews that surface on online platforms.

Measures must be taken to mitigate the impacts of negative reviews before they hamper a doctor’s career. Some effective measures to reduce the impacts of negative reviews are-

1. Effective communication

Healthcare providers must understand the need to maintain transparency with their patients. The healthcare sector is a very sensitive field. The challenge lies in making the patients aware of their health conditions. Communicating effectively by clarifying doubts will reduce the chances of negative reviews online.

2. Reducing waiting time

It is important to schedule visiting hours of patients by dividing time slots. Giving appointments to more patients at the same time leads to overcrowding and chaos. Effective time management and a regulated system of appointments will lead to patient satisfaction.

3. Encouraging positive reviews

Doctors will have long-lasting bonds with patients who have had satisfactory experiences. They can take the initiative of encouraging such patients to write positive reviews about their experiences. In this way, the negative reviews will be balanced by positive feedback. Also, the doctor’s credibility will grow in the public eye.

4. Addressing negative reviews

Often, negative reviews tend to make people angry and defensive. But doctors must handle such cases sensitively. They must professionally address the negative feedback. Seeking an apology on public platforms increases the authenticity and trust of the healthcare provider.

5. Increasing online presence

In the digital era, it is necessary for healthcare providers to increase their online presence. They should take part in discussions on various social media platforms. Acknowledging positive reviews and responding to negative reviews is necessary. Addressing negative reviews politely by clarifying doubts will help in creating a positive effect on the minds of the readers. Moreover, healthcare SEO agency in Bangalore can effectively help doctors to make their presence felt on the online platform.

6. Understanding healthy criticism

Healthcare providers must understand healthy criticisms. Addressing administrative problems or behavioral issues is necessary. The new patients visiting the doctors must not encounter similar problems. Changed approaches will lead to patient satisfaction and increased positive reviews.

7. Transparency in the exchange of information

Patients must be well aware of all procedures before treatment. They must know the treatment plans, diagnosis, outcome, and everything regarding medication. Also, making the patients aware of the costs of treatment is important. A transparent doctor-patient relationship will foster positive outcomes.  

 Conclusion

Healthcare is a vast sector with multiple approaches. Patient sensitivity tops the chart. Any unsatisfactory experience encountered by patients or their families will result in negative feedback. Doctors must be aware of the needs and requirements of their patients. Years of hard work and dedication build their professional reputation. Negative reviews on digital platforms can immensely impact their career. Trust and credibility serve as the base of a patient-doctor relationship. A doctor must understand the root cause of negative reviews and find solutions to mitigate the problems. They should build authenticity among patients, whether through online or offline media. Destroying the power of negative reviews by addressing them will eventually turn negative situations into positive ones. Healthcare providers’ love and dedication to the profession will ultimately combat all challenges and make them victorious in the fight against negative reviews.