Patient experience is five times more likely to influence patients' brand loyalty than traditional marketing strategies used by health systems, according to a new report from Press Ganey.
For the report, researchers surveyed more than 1,000 household healthcare decision-makers nationwide to examine the role patient experience plays in consumer acquisition and brand awareness.
Here are four report findings:
1. Consumers said they are more likely to research a new physician via the internet than by talking to family and friends. When conducting online research, consumers said they were most likely to look at insurance information (81.8 percent), patient ratings (70.7 percent), and hospital or health system affiliations (67.3 percent).
2. Before accepting a referral from their primary care physician, 72 percent of consumers said they were "likely or very likely" to look at the recommended specialist's website.
3. Consumers also reported actively looking for and being influenced by patient ratings and reviews. Nearly 70 percent said they'd previously chosen a physician based on positive reviews or avoided one based on negative reviews.
4. Consumers also said they valued both negative and positive patient comments in online reviews.
To download the full report, click here.