09 Feb, 2010
Help your doctor with the hidden tool that no one else is qualified to use
You can be integral to your doctor’s future success. Read about this powerful tool you can use to spread the word about your favorite health care provider.
The tool is simple: write a patient testimonial about your experience with your physician or health provider.
Many patients don’t realize that 80% or more of a doctor’s business comes from referrals. In the world of Establishment medicine, this is always the case – most patients come from referring physicians – doctors who send other doctors patients. Referral business and word of mouth among patients is especially critical for alternative medical practices.
Be willing to see the testimonial published on his website or in promotional materials. Other patients want to see evidence of other satisfied customers when choosing a doctor. Offering to write a testimonial also endears you to your doctor and cements your relationship in a new and valuable way.
Health professionals are mostly hesitant to toot their own horns, but you can do this horn-tooting for them. Often they will be reticent about asking you for a testimonial, fearing that you’ll feel pressured into doing so.
Don’t forget to praise ancillary staff as well. This includes specific nurses, front office staff, therapists, and other employees you interact with during appointments or procedures. Write down names and phone numbers so you can refer to them later. Employees and staff receive plenty of complaints – make it your goal to watch for praiseworthy behavior and reward it with a note or letter. Request that it go in the person’s file as a permanent record.
Patients often forget names and specific details when they have an overall pleasant experience, so it’s important to pay attention to these things when you have an opportunity.
The same principles hold true for online reviews, as at Amazon.com. Scores of consumers write scathing reviews of products they despise, but many more happy customers are too busy using and enjoying their purchase to write a positive review.
If you want the good news of your experience with a health care provider to spread, patient testimonials can go a long way towards accomplishing this.