Review portals for doctors - the comparison!

Online reviews and feedback from other patients are having more and more influence on the choice of doctor, especially today. The digital recommendation culture gives potential patients a quick overview of the usually very large range of doctors on offer. Countless rating portals can be found on the Internet. From Jameda to Sanego to medical information, the list is long. In addition to portals focused on doctors and practices, there are additional evaluation tools such as Google reviews. Irrespective of this, doctors and experts agree that the future of healthcare also lies in digitization. As a result, patients' expectations regarding the online presence of doctors continue to rise. The decision as to which doctor to visit is therefore often made in a matter of seconds in direct comparison with other practices. When choosing a new doctor, more than half of all Germans (53.13%) consciously pay attention to a reputable entry and good reviews on Google. This is from the study”Datapuls 2021“come out. In this case, good ratings are rated at least four out of five stars. In addition, the positioning of the entry, i.e. the ranking in Google search, also plays a major role. Positive reviews on Jameda are weighted similarly. More than 40% of Germans also look for good reviews on this platform before visiting a doctor. However, review portals for doctors not only provide immediate feedback from customers, but also enable direct contact. We will explain why this is so important in the course of this blog post. First, however, we offer an overview of the most successful platforms and what features they offer.

The comparison

Given the wide range of review portals, it is not always easy to find the right one. We picked out the best known and biggest ones and compared their functions:

1. Jameda

Jameda is probably one of the best-known review portals in the healthcare sector and, with around 6 million users (own statement), also the largest. Ratings can be submitted here numerically (grades from 1-6) and by means of comments. Registration is required in order to be able to provide feedback. In addition, a free app for iOS and Android devices is offered, which puts Jameda a step ahead of all other platforms. Special features include: video consultations, premium access for doctors and an automatic listing depending on the evaluation.

2nd Sanego

The Sanego portal also has several million users (4.5 million according to its own statements) and, with Jameda, is one of the top 3 rating portals. Here, too, feedback is provided using grades (1-10). In addition, there is the portal's own evaluation system, which includes eight key criteria such as “treatment success” or “medical expertise.” These points are answered individually or as a whole. Special features include: premium access for doctors and a database of medicines and diseases.

3. DocInsider

docInsider is another very popular review platform. This scores points, among other things, with a health guide and an extensive medical lexicon. Since DocInsider does not require registration, these tools are available to everyone. Reviews can be submitted as comments or numerically (1-5 stars). Special features include: premium access for doctors.

4. The doctor's information

This evaluation platform is part of the Health Foundation's “recommendation pool”. Doctors and psychologists as well as medical practices and centers can be found here. Feedback can also be given here using a comment function. The best doctors and practices are also marked with the three categories gold, silver and bronze.

5. Google reviews

Google reviews are not just a review portal for doctors, but they are often just as decisive. Some people have not registered on any of the rating platforms specifically for doctors and are therefore using the general route via Google themselves. This is how the reviews that were submitted directly to Google appear under the name. Since many practices also have a Google MyBusiness account, the reviews are also visible based on location (via Google Maps).

How do review portals work?

The principle of a review platform is simple: Customers or patients publicly share their experience in the form of comments, stars or points. Many portals follow a certain guideline, which includes a uniform questionnaire so that doctors can directly compare. However, this is not a must and is therefore only followed by selected platforms. On the Jameda platform, for example, such a questionnaire is divided into 5 categories (treatment, information, relationship of trust, time taken and friendliness). These are specified as main aspects and must therefore be answered. In addition, there are other categories, such as waiting times, which can be answered as an option. This assures the patient that all reviews made can be directly compared with each other. More detailed descriptions can be found in the comments. With regard to written reviews, it should be noted that they may be formulated critically but not insulting or abusive. Some platforms automatically block such abusive comments, while for others, the person responsible for the profile is initially responsible for the profile himself. In many cases, such statements also have consequences for the author.

Rating portals as a quality check

As in so many situations, there is constant googling these days. The search engine not only searches for the nearest restaurant or the opening times of the cinema, but also the best doctors in the area - and with increasing intensity! If you relied on the opinions of friends or acquaintances a few years ago, you can now search the Internet for references and feedback from hundreds of other people. Questions about waiting time, competence or even professionalism are answered within seconds with just a few clicks. Evaluation portals provide initial contact with the patient — and vice versa. A meaningful profile design is all the more important.

Tips for appearing on review portals

Reviews on the Internet are a decisive factor in choosing a doctor, especially today. Customer feedback primarily reflects the entire medical practice and gives potential patients an initial insight into the quality. Communication here takes place on a direct level and thus awakens a sense of honesty and credibility. But what is the best way to deal with the feedback from the doctor's point of view? We'll show you how to deal with both positive and negative reviews:

1. Professional appearance

The profile on the review portals is the hallmark of practice! This should therefore always be presented professionally. Small details are often decisive here. With an appealing profile picture of the doctor or the entire team, you earn points in terms of sympathy. In addition, most review portals offer the opportunity to present yourself, the team and the areas of activity. Essential information such as opening hours, location or office hours should also always be up to date.

2nd reaction

First, it is crucial to actively respond to reviews of all types — regardless of whether they have been positive or negative. It is important to address patients' concerns. A short response to the feedback also signals to potential patients that the patient's satisfaction comes first. In addition, critical comments in particular can be used as an incentive for improvements.

3. Generate reviews - contact with the patient

As a doctor, you often have to take action yourself to generate feedback. After treatment, it is simply too time-consuming for many patients to search for the doctor on the review portals and provide feedback. Even during the visit to the practice, the opportunity to express experience should be pointed out. At Socialwave, we offer an ideal solution for this. With the WLAN marketing package, reviews are automatically generated. By logging into the existing WLAN, patients receive an email after the visit with an invitation to submit a review. On which platform it is to be delivered can be individually adjusted. Find out more about this topic here.

conclusion

Review portals for doctors are definitely paying off! In addition to the generally represented Google reviews, these platforms offer a specific look at healthcare. Thanks to the categorizations, it is very easy for every (potential) patient to find the right doctor. A good ranking not only increases general visibility, but also expands the patient base in the long term. With our WLAN marketing package, your customers/patients/guests advertise you, are happy and recommend you to others.