Sep 5
2019
Survey: Patients Search and Evaluate Providers, and Share Their Healthcare Experiences Online
Binary Fountain released the findings of its 2019 “Healthcare Consumer Insight & Digital Engagement” survey. With the goal of getting an updated view into how patients search, evaluate and share their experiences with their providers, the survey, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Binary Fountain, shows patients’ continued dependence on online ratings and review sites and increased trust in social media to make informed healthcare decisions.
Patients Depend on Online Reputation More Than Ever When Choosing a Physician
The survey shows that consumers rely heavily on online ratings and reviews when choosing a provider. According to this year’s survey results:
- 75% of respondents are influenced by online rating and review sites when selecting a provider.
- In fact, 60% of consumers check the ratings and reviews of a provider, even when referred by another provider, up 44% since 2018.
- 80% of respondents believe online provider ratings and reviews are “somewhat” to “very” reliable.
- Additionally, only 9% of respondents in 2019 selected they “do not use any websites or online platforms” when selecting a provider. By comparison, 48% of respondents selected this answer in 2017, representing an 80% increase in Americans using some form of online website or platform to choose a provider.
Of the respondents that have utilized ratings and review sites when searching for a provider, 53% selected Google as a primary source, followed by a hospital and/or facility’s website (48%), Facebook (45%), Healthgrades (42%) and Instagram (28%).
More Consumers Are Using Social Media for Provider Searches
This year’s survey results also found that consumers are increasingly utilizing social media channels to find providers. For instance, 51% of consumers use social media platforms to search for a provider, a 621% increase from Binary Fountain’s 2017 survey results.
- In particular, Facebook saw a 264% increase from 2018 to 2019 in its use to help patients find a provider.
- Other social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat have seen a 550% and 365% increase, from 2018 to 2019, respectively.
- Likewise, specialized listing sites like U.S. News & World Report (536%), ShareCare (454%) and ZocDoc (359%) continue to gain more traction year-over-year.
More Patients Are Sharing Their Healthcare Experiences through Social Media
When asked “what online platform(s) have you ever used to share your provider/hospital experiences,” respondents selected Facebook (57%) as the leading platform, followed by Google (49%) and a tie between hospital and/or facility website and Healthgrades at 40%. The 2019 survey results also revealed:
- All social media platforms, besides Facebook, have more than tripled the amount of provider/hospital online feedback they had received in 2017.
- In fact, Google has seen a 319% increase in sharing provider/hospital experiences on its platform since 2017.
- Similarly, Instagram has seen a 506% increase in sharing provider/hospital experiences since 2017.
- Finally, Facebook has seen a 170% increase in sharing provider/hospital experiences on its platform since 2017.
Furthermore, only 5% of respondents mentioned they “don’t share feedback on online platforms” in 2019, a stark contrast to the 69% of respondents that selected that answer in 2017.
Healthcare Consumers Seek Digital Scheduling
The survey shows that consumers are increasingly looking to digital devices to schedule appointments. The survey results revealed:
- A majority (60%) of Americans say they have used an online search engine to look for a provider, a 60% increase from the 2017 survey results.
- In fact, 29% of respondents have booked appointments directly from a provider’s website, a 100% increase from 2018.
- Making appointments by phone has decreased by 45% since 2018. However, 47% of consumers still make appointments by phone, making it the leading method for booking healthcare appointments today.
- Use of voice search capabilities to find physicians has made a significant leap with 30% of respondents selecting voice assistant devices (i.e., Siri, Alexa, Google Home, etc.) as a source, an increase of 756% since 2018.
Based on the above findings, it is critical for healthcare providers to verify and ensure their contact information is accurate and up-to-date across all online listings and third-party websites.