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How Doctors and Advisors are Defending Themselves Online

7 Responses

1. D. Kellus Pruitt DDS, on May 31, 2012 at 10:08 AM said:

   Dentist review sites

   Using dentist review sites for marketing becomes ethical in Texas – Say hello to transparency, Doc.

   Dentistry’s recognized leaders appear to be abandoning their silly fight against consumer reviews of dentists. My how things change.

   I’m reminded that only a few years ago, during a vigorous internet exchange with a young but traditional Texas Dental Association Delegate, he discovered my presence on DR.Oogle and leaned against it for purchase. I and others visiting his website were told that TDA officials strongly disapprove of members’ participation in such online dentist review sites. The budding authority on professionalism even suggested that I had somehow purchased the compliments. His irresponsible insult to my thoughtful patients still aggravates me – especially since he was and still is popular among both TDA and AGD members as an up and coming, award winning leader. They could do better in my opinion.

   The delegate predicted that using such reviews for marketing purposes would soon be ruled “unethical” by the TDA Board of Directors as well as the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. But as often happens with ambitious youngsters who are poorly vetted for the responsibilities of leadership, he was proudly naive.

   Even as the TSBDE currently struggles with allowing Texas dentists to post patient testimonials on their practice websites, this month, the TDA Board publicly endorsed transparency in dentistry – regardless of the favorite delegate’s premature opinion.

   The May 2012 TDA Journal features an article written by PR expert Lance McCullough, CEO and founder of Prosites, a marketing firm catering to dentists and other healthcare providers. He suggests that TDA members should “Get Patient Reviews.” (GASP!):

   “Once they find your practice online, prospective patients will want to read about current patient experiences. Online reviews are extremely impactful; positive online reviews can help prospects trust you as a credible dental professional and can also help boost your search engine rankings. So how do you get your patients to leave reviews? The first step is to let them know you want reviews. For example, you can encourage your patients to post online reviews by placing a sign in your practice that states ‘If you’re satisfied with your visit, please tell others what you think,’ followed by the web addresses of your business listings. Make it easy for them to leave reviews; include links to your business directories on your website.”

   I’m chalking this one up as another I told you so – a special one.

   Here’s something to consider: Since publication of “breaking” news in the TDA Journal takes 6 weeks to appear, I can’t help but wonder what happened in early March which caused TDA leaders to suddenly distance themselves from the TSBDE’s obsolete opinion of consumers’ right to post reviews of dentists.

   D. Kellus Pruitt DDS

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2. Dr. Leftletter, on May 31, 2012 at 4:08 PM said:

   Consumer Reports Gets into Doctor Ratings Biz

   Darrell – Did you know that Consumer Reports, best known for rating the nuts and bolts of cars, household appliances and other electronics, is getting into the business of rating primary care doctors?

   http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/2012/05/31/consumer-reports-begins-rating-doctors-mass/wW45Oy8ejsycRHOEHr9nLP/story.html

   The magazine is getting ready to mail out ratings for nearly 500 adult, family and pediatric physician practices in Massachusetts, the first step in a multistate project to evaluate doctors the way it has rated consumer products for decades.

   Dr. Leftletter

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3. Darrell DK, on May 31, 2012 at 6:34 PM said:

   Thanks for the information, Dr. Leftletter

   I hope Consumer Reports is nicer to its award winners than Time Magazine’s Best Doctors Award.

   When I complained to TIME about being lied to by an advertisement salesperson, they took my name off their list and gave my honorary plague to someone else.

   Darrell DK

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4. David K. Luke MIM, on June 5, 2012 at 6:53 AM said:

   On Anonymous Ratings

   Anonymous ratings on websites by patients about their Doctors are unreliable at best. Most patients (myself included) cannot accurately determine if their Doctor is a good clinician. Many reviews online often do not address the Doctor’s capabilities but rather other aspects about the practice, staff, and margins. Many reviews are not statistically relevant (2 reviews?) or lack information in cases surrounding a complaint. Even a rating on the likability of a physician is often warped. Docs are allowed to have bad days like the rest of us, aren’t they?

   One bad or mediocre rating on HealthGrades, RateMDs, Yelp or Angies List can be very expensive to a practice. Doctors have had success suing posters and websites.

   Be careful however if you try to even the score on some review websites by employing some trickery. False postings on third party websites by plastic surgery practice “Lifestyle Lift” rendered a $300,000 fine in New York in 2009 as a marketing practice that constituted deceptive advertising.

   Also, having a patient sign a statement that they will not make comments on a website about you or your practice (called a “gag order”) will get your name instantly on RateMD’s “Wall of Shame”. These Doc rating sites have become a testy business. Maybe that is why most doctors and most patients will continue to ignore these sites anyway until something of more substance and balance comes along.

   David K. Luke MIM
   Certified Medical Planner™ candidate
   http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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5. Ann Miller RN MHA, on June 9, 2012 at 1:05 AM said:

   FB and Google

   Here is an essay on new Google and Facebook changes that affect physician websites.

   http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/06/google-facebook-affect-physician-website.html

   Ann Miller RN MHA

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6. D. Kellus Pruitt DDS, on July 26, 2013 at 8:55 PM said:

   From Defending to Promoting

   In a new twist on the above … dentists are now increasingly seeking reviews from satisfied patients for marketing purposes.

   As internet communications empower transparency in the dental marketplace through companies like Angie’s List, Yelp and Dr.Oogle, consumers are beginning to value patient reviews more than conventional advertisements.

   Today, I noticed the arrival of a marketing entrepreneur with a unique idea of using surveys to help dentists solicit valuable patient reviews.

   “Online surveys play an increasing role in obtaining dental patient reviews”

   http://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/2013/07/online-surveys-play-an-increasing-role-in-obtaining-dental-patient-reviews.html

   “PatientActivator, the award-winning patient communication & online marketing software from 1-800-DENTIST, discovered through a recent study that over 50% of dental practices nationwide are now actively asking patients to review them. Although the most common method of requesting reviews is asking while patients are in the office, over one-third of dental practices revealed they are using online surveys to solicit new patient reviews.”

   Compared to transparency, conventional advertisement is costly and ineffective.

   D. Kellus Pruitt DDS

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7. Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA, on June 13, 2014 at 1:41 PM said:

   More on Reputation Management for Doctors

   http://www.medicalpracticeinsider.com/best-practices/top-10-rules-reputation-management?email=MARCINKOADVISORS@MSN.COM&GroupID=116654

   Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA
   http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781498725989

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