New technologies enter the mainstream every year. Nowhere is this more apparent than the healthcare space, which has traditionally been reluctant to adopt digital marketing and patient acquisition trends — like reviews and online booking, among others.

But the tides are starting to turn. Physicians nationwide are more willing to embrace the digital tools that not only keep up with patient expectations but also help them remain relevant and profitable in a competitive market.

As we enter 2020, we collected some of the best advice we heard this year from real doctors and healthcare marketing professionals. Read on to learn how they source and win over patients to grow successful practices.

1. Make sure the basics are in order. 

“You have 15 seconds to capture the attention of the modern-day digital consumer. From a patient perspective, there is no bigger turnoff than having to search high and low for the basics, including a clinic’s name, address, and phone number – otherwise known as NAP.” — Sahil Saini, Founder, AKOS

2. Amplify your SEO efforts to protect against patient leakage. 

“I’m working in my own capacity on search engine optimization…but that project would come to naught if there weren’t a good presence for patients to find. God forbid I should be elevating myself in terms of SEO when people are seeing bad things!” — Dr. George Woodbury, Dermatologist, Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, P.C. 

>> Related read: How much is referral leakage costing you?

3. Pay attention to your visual representation online. 

“Investing in photos and videos of your hospital and doctors to optimize for Google search can make the difference between patients finding you or not.” — Alexandra Morehouse, Chief Marketing Officer, Banner Health

4. Grow your base of patient reviews by encouraging feedback at the point of care. 

“Collect reviews in your office before or after appointments. This can help drive reviews when your practice is top of mind. Simply add a tablet with the request to review pulled up in the browser. Remember, though, that it’s not enough to just add the tablet; make sure you include a sign to call out the purpose of the tablet, or have your front office let patients know it’s there.” — John Keehler, Partner, Director of Strategy & Insights, RUNNER Agency

>> Related read: 5 strategies for soliciting more patient feedback

5. Drown out a negative review with positive feedback. 

“When we see negative reviews, we push more for reviews. When we have good reviews, we get more calls.” — Denitsa Krumova, Office Manager, Lam Facial Plastics and Lam Institute for Hair Restoration 

6. Learn from online reviews and make adjustments accordingly. 

“You can use patient feedback to learn how you can better meet the expectations of your patients. Positive reviews can be used to congratulate staff and reinforce good habits, while negative reviews can be reviewed to improve patient care.” — Dr. Brad Bowman, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades

7. Stay flexible, and keep making adjustments. 

“Is it good to just exercise for a couple months and then stop working out once you’re in shape? No, it’s an ongoing process. The landscape online is constantly changing, and Doctor.com has consistently been ahead of the curve in changes that are going on with the online rating systems, social media, and online presence in the healthcare industry.” — Dr. Eric Anderson, Pain Management Doctor, Advanced Pain Institute of Texas

8. Enter a true partnership with Doctor.com! 

“I am a solo specialist and was having difficulty reaching out to new patients. For the past year, [Doctor.com] has met their obligations — and then some. It is now common that new patients arrive having searched the internet and being impressed with what they discovered about my practice. Working with the company has been easy, and I’m appreciative of the success they have brought me.” — Dr. David Ancona, Cardiologist

Are you ready to take your practice to the next level? Check out the Doctor.com solutions that will position you to experience extraordinary growth and profit expansion in 2020 and beyond. If you’d rather talk to a practice consultant personally, schedule some one-on-one time here.