Any business can benefit from patient testimonials and customer reviews.
When patients interested in coming to your practice see the positive things patients say about the services offered, they will be more likely to give you a call and make an appointment.
The best advertising is simple, old-fashioned word of mouth. People naturally trust their friends and family more than strangers or advertisements, making sense that we place more weight on personal recommendations. While we’re sure, your rheumatology patients are already talking positively about your practice to anyone who will listen, getting those testimonials in writing is a great way to extend their reach, increase their power, and gain new patients.
A page with vague compliments like “Best doctor ever!” or “Excellent care!” is nice, but it doesn’t offer enough substance to grab a potential patient and compel them to pick up the phone. If you’d like to get effective patient testimonials and success stories from your patients, you need to ask the right questions. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled several good examples below. By asking some of these thoughtful questions, you’ll be raking in honest and positive patient testimonials in no time.
Is it ok to share your testimonial?
Before you even dive into asking your patients these deep questions, you need to get their approval. While it’s evident to you that testimonials are for the public to see, that doesn’t mean that your patients are on the same page.
There are also particular rules we have to abide by while working within healthcare. Anything you do within healthcare, you’ll have to keep HIPPAA regulations in mind, and that includes trying to source a testimonial from a patient.
What was your favorite part of coming to our practice?
This will help your patient think in specifics. If they are at a loss, don’t be afraid to ask leading or follow-up questions. A short wait time, a compassionate physician, or a comfortable waiting room are aspects they may want to highlight.
What were your past health experiences like before us?
Maybe they switched to you because they wanted a more personable experience than what they previously had. Perhaps they were looking online, found you on Google, and decided to try your practice because you were closer.
While that’s not the background story that’s going to keep future patients on the edge of their seats, it will get them engaged, and sometimes that is all you need.
What was your biggest challenge before making an appointment with our practice?
This question helps create a sense of conflict and urgency. It is also an excellent way to hook a potential patient and appeal to others who deal with similar challenges.
If you were recommending our practice to a friend, what would you say?
This encourages your patient to write or speak naturally, rather than trying to achieve a certain level of sophistication. Remember, we’re going for word-of-mouth marketing; the more it sounds like an honest conversation, the better!
What are two ways your life has changed since your first appointment?
This shows the value of your practice and how it has improved your patients’ lives. Perhaps they’re back on the golf course or have taken up knitting. Maybe they have more energy to spend with their grandkids, or perhaps they’ve gotten back to volunteering regularly.
These details will inspire others and help them view the testimonials as coming from real, live people, just like them!
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Every person is unique, and the same questions won’t unearth every detail from every patient. This question gives your patient the chance to contribute a helpful fact or anecdote you didn’t anticipate, which can result in some of the best, most genuine reviews.
Remember, all your patients are different.
Tailor your testimonial process around them. Use the questions within this post as a template to help guide you along the way. That way, you’ll ensure quality responses while covering all of your bases from a compliance standpoint.
[Need some ideas for responding to negative reviews? Click here!]
Some other great questions include:
- What stood out the most about us during your first appointment?
- What surprised you most about our practice?
- What are three other benefits you found at our office?
- What specific feature did you like most about your experience here?
Many of these questions bleed into one another, and that’s by design. To get the most out of the client you are interviewing; you’ll need to ask the same questions differently. That way, you’ll jog their memory and get different perspectives on their opinion.
At the end of the day, what you ask to get a good patient testimonial is up to you. We hope these ideas help you get great patient testimonials and great, new patients. Here’s to a future full of success stories!
Tags: Marketing Dos and Donts, medical office management, medical offices, national organization of rheumatology managers, NORM, office management, office managers, patient feedback, patient satisfaction surveys, Patient technology, patient testimonials, testimonials, tips for office managers Posted by
