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patient experience

5 Steps To Improving Your Fertility Clinic’s Online Reputation

By Griffin Jones

Yikes.

It’s no different than what many of us do when choosing a new hair salon or restaurant, they search online. 

Years ago online reviews of doctors were scarce, and even fewer considered trustworthy, but times have changed.  

 According to a survey from MobiHealthNews, 95% of U.S. adults believed online ratings and reviews to be reliable.  Even more interesting, 70% of those surveyed said online ratings influenced their choice of doctor. 

With the increase in prevalence and weight of online reviews, today it’s more important than ever to take action and proactively manage your clinic’s reputation by following the 5 steps to improving your fertility clinic’s online reputation.

  1. Provide Concierge Service

  2. Claim & Maintain Listings

  3. Request Reviews

  4. Manage Reviews

  5. Market Reviews

Let’s break down each component. 

1). Provide Concierge Level of Service 100% of the time

While putting systems and services in place to improve and maintain an online reputation is necessary, your clinic must first have a concierge level of service written into the fabric of its DNA.  The clinic leadership team must have an unwavering commitment to offering a concierge-level of service at every turn, and mandating its employees to do the same. 

Offering concierge-level service is thinking about the small things and asking yourself, What Can I Do To Remove The Patient’s Pain In This Moment? Examples include, but are not limited to: 

  • Using the patient’s name during conversation 

  • Having call center / new patient coordinators use the patient’s name immediately 

  • Always remaining calm and using a pleasant tone of voice

  • Providing patients with support/messages of hope during the two-week wait.

 If this belief and level of customer service is not woven into the fabric of your culture or expressed within you as a physician, it will affect how your staff treats their patients.  

2). Claim & Maintain Listings 

Once offering the concierge level of service has been addressed, the next step is to organize your listings.  Local Listings are a directory with your business's key information. When people search for your business (or the service you provide), your listing is usually displayed in the search results.  The most important listings are:

  • Google My Business (GMB)

    • Physicians should be tied to the clinic listing, but owned by the physician 

    • Each clinic location should have a listing, including satellites so reviews can be left

  • Facebook

  • Yelp

    • Yelp is important because it is also integrated with other listings sites, like Bing and Apple Maps 

  • Fertility IQ

    • Fertility IQ has skyrocketed as an influencer platform over the last few years, and the length, depth, and detail of the reviews have it becoming a recognized source of patients’ trust. 

Once Google & Facebook are at a minimum of 4.5 and 60+ reviews, begin to focus on Yelp & FertilityIQ

3). Request Reviews 

Patients will always leave reviews when left up to their own devices, but if you want to achieve and maintain a rating of 4.5 and above, you need to be proactive about asking and automating review requests.  

Asking 

When you’ve treated patients right, they want to help you.  Therefore, ask the right patient for a review and give yourself and your staff permission to do it.  While verbal requests are necessary, asking also includes creating marketing materials that advertise where to leave reviews and post the requests on social media.  Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to ask with the right patient!  In your waiting room, use video to ask satisfied patients to like you on Facebook, rate you on Yelp, or fill out a patient satisfaction survey.  Seek patients who give your practice high marks and ask them if they’d be willing to give you a testimonial. 

Automation 

Using a service that automates repeat requests to reviews and pushes them to the four most important platforms in Reproductive Medicine (Google, Facebook, Yelp, FertilityIQ).  The software element helps ensure the patient is reminded and the review is pushed to the platform where you need it most.

4). Manage Reviews 

It’s critical to respond to 100% of reviews - both positive and negative.  While it’s also helpful to have a foundation of scripts to utilize so that responding on every platform is not tedious, slight customization is necessary to ensure the consumer’s needs are being addressed.  Something as simple as “Thank you for your feedback. We’re committed to a better patient experience and are in the process of reevaluating all staff communication” will show the patient you take their feedback seriously.  And to the prospective patient who hasn’t yet chosen your practice, it lessens the harshness of the review.

5). Market Reviews 

You’re collecting the reviews, now it’s critical to share the positive patient feedback with other prospective patients still in the decision-making phases.  Our internal data shows that at least 50% of patients will conduct an online search of the clinic, often landing on your website, to evaluate a practice.  Highlight positive reviews and testimonials right on your home page so they aren’t missed. And if your center does not have amazing, professional patient testimonials that blow folks away, it’s time to get that changed right now by consulting with the creative team at Fertility Bridge.  

By taking charge of your online reputation, you will impact the number of new patient appointments, retrievals and ultimately, revenue.  

If you’d like Fertility Bridge’s help in improving your online reputation, we can assess your situation in the Goal and Competitive Diagnostic.

98 - Bridging the Gap Between Fertility Marketing and Sales with Griffin Jones

We’re taking a break from our usual show today! On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, our own Griffin Jones talks about the Fertility Patient Marketing Journey, a recap of a recent blog post he wrote that can be found here: https://www.fertilitybridge.com/inside-reproductive-health/2017/10/17/fertilitymarketingfundamentals2018. From the initial touchpoint with potential patients (strangers) to how to continue patient delight post-treatment, Griffin offers his tips on how to make the most out of each phase.

92 - Increasing Access-to-Care for All Patient Populations, an interview with Dr. Marjorie Dixon

Marjorie Dixon is the founder, CEO, and Medical Director of Anova Fertility and Reproductive Health in Toronto, Canada. After completing her training in the States and experiencing what the field was like in her home country of Canada, Dr. Dixon knew she wanted to start a new clinic that used the best technology, provided the best care, and increased access-to-care for the LGBTQI+ population, one that was close to her heart.

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin digs into why Dr. Dixon chose to start her clinic in Toronto and what she does to not only increase the availability of care to all populations, but what she does to make them feel welcome in her practice.

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89 - How to Reduce Physician Burn Out and Increase Patient Satisfaction, an interview with Dr. Serena Chen and Dr. Roohi Jeelani

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Patient advocacy has always been an important part of the fertility field. With great organizations and lots of outspoken patients, patients are receiving more education outside of the clinic. But should physicians be involved in this sort of advocacy, too? Don’t they have enough on their plates?

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke to Dr. Serena Chen of IRMS and Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Dr. Roohi Jeelani of Vios Fertility. Together, they co-authored a recently published paper, “Is Advocacy the solution to physician burnout?” They discuss why physicians should be more involved in advocacy and educating patients outside of their clinic. And why, against what one might think, it could reduce burnout for physicians in the long run.

88 - Cultivating the Provider-Patient Relationship: Improving Communication in Your Clinic, an interview with Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh

Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a single-physician practice owner, operating out of her clinic in the San Francisco Bay area. When she entered the field in 2008, she had one goal: reach every person who needs access to fertility care. To her, that doesn’t necessarily mean treating every patient, but it does mean putting out valuable information for patients to help them make informed decisions and, hopefully, help them reach their dreams of becoming pregnant.

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin and Dr. Aimee explore all the ways that she is trying to change the patient-physician relationship through communication both in and outside of her office. From her extended hours and lax phone call policy to her Podcast and YouTube channel, she has made herself accessible to her direct patients and her audience around the world. She shares what our clinics can do to further build their relationship with their patients and help make patient journeys just a little bit easier.

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86 - Embryo Disposition: Implications and How to Protect Your Clinic, an interview with Igor Brusil

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The disposing of embryos has long been a controversial topic in the world of IVF. Clinics can’t afford to keep embryos around when patients have stopped paying their bills. But the ethical and legal implications keep embryo disposition from being a simple decision. Plus, patients aren’t really properly educated on what the limitations of cryopreservation are and clinics aren’t always fully prepared with proper consents and contracts when the time comes to freeze embryos.

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke to Igor Brusil, attorney-at-law and per diem embryologist and legal counsel for the American College of Embryology in Houston, Texas. After working as an embryologist, Igor became interested in the ethical and legal implications of lab procedures, specifically embryo disposition. This led him to pursuing a legal degree and working as counsel for a variety of clients, but his focus remained in healthcare law, risk management, and professional liability.

He brought his unique experience to the show, sharing his thoughts on what clinics can do to protect themselves when it comes to the issue of embryo disposition.

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84 - Pivoting Clinic Operations in the COVID-19 Era, an interview with Dr. Yemi Famuyiwa

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When COVID-19 entered the United States, it felt like a scramble to figure out what our next steps were as a field. Do operations continue to give patients the best chance of success? Or do the risks outweigh the benefits? Some clinics pivoted quickly, following the ASRM guidelines precisely. And some clinics panicked with feelings of apprehension of stopping treatment altogether.

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa, the leader of a clinic who seemed to be well-prepared for the unknowns of the virus. Dr. Famuyiwa is the founder and director of Montgomery Fertility Center, an independent clinic located in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. Famuyiwa aims to provide state-of-the-art care based on emergent technologies and ongoing research. And this philosophy was truly exposed when COVID-19 first came on the radar.

Her ahead-of-the-game research got her clinic appropriately prepared for the emergence of the virus in her area, keeping volume steady--and even at the highest it has ever been. So what lessons can other clinics take from her experience in the COVID-19 era?

Learn more about Dr. Yemi Famuyiwa and Montgomery Fertility Center by visiting montgomeryfertilitycenter.com.

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80 - Up-selling Fertility Treatments: Beneficial or Exploitative? An interview with Dr. Mark Trolice

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Reproductive endocrinologists and other professionals in our field all have the same main goal: helping people build their families. But we all know that treatment is expensive, and the resulting revenue is how clinic owners get paid. In some cases, treatments can involve ‘extra’ services, resulting in additional revenue, but it may not always mean a better chance of success for the patient.

So when do clinics start to toe the ethical line when presenting options to their patients?

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. Mark Trolice of Fertility CARE: The IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida. From his perspective as a former patient and as a provider of care in a non-mandated state, we look at fertility treatment “up-sells” such as egg freezing and PGT and the ethical implications of REs owning their own labs.

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79 - Uncovering the Pros and Cons of Mandated Fertility Coverage, An interview with Jay Palumbo

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As of August 2020, less than half of the states in America have some form of mandated insurance coverage for fertility treatments. Some require coverage for IVF, some cover preservation, but more than 30 states still have no requirement for covering fertility treatments in any form. But why? Is coverage really beneficial on the business side of the fertility field?

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke with writer and women’s health advocate, Jennifer “Jay” Palumbo. Jay is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Wonder Woman Writer, LLC and is an avid women’s health advocate. From her award-willing blog “The Two Week Wait” to working at major fertility benefits companies, her experience has helped shape her mission to advocate for women’s health needs, especially when it comes to infertility.

In this episode, we uncover the pros and cons of mandated coverage from both the patient and the clinic side.

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71 - Handling Patient Concerns with Restarting Fertility Treatment Post-COVID-19, an interview with Barbara Collura

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Patients were heartbroken by fertility clinic shutdowns due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. People who have waited for possibly years for their chance to start or continue to build their family had their hopes dashed when they learned their treatment would be delayed for an indefinite amount of time. But how did clinics handle the communication with their patients? And are patients ready to come back with the threat of the disease still looming?

To help answer those questions, RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, conducted a survey asking over 500 patients directly impacted by the shutdowns to share their experiences.

On this live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke to Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE. She walked us through the survey's results and what your clinic can do with the results to make a better experience for your patients who had to stall their fertility treatments, as well as those coming in during these unknown times.

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70 - How HRC Came to be an International Publicly-Traded Fertility Group, an interview with Dr. Bradford Kolb

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HRC Fertility is one of the largest providers of Assisted Reproductive Care in the United States. Started in Southern California in 1988, the clinic has grown immensely, serving thousands of patients every year. In 2017, HRC took their success globally, joining forces with Jinxin Fertility and listing on the Hong Kong Exchange. Despite the booming expansion, HRC never forgot its roots: providing quality, personal care for its patients and giving physicians the opportunity to have full control of patient treatment.

On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke with Dr. Bradford Kolb, President of HRC Fertility. Dr. Kolb joined the practice in 2001 and worked through the IPO process with his partners, making HRC what it is today. Not only did we talk about the process of going public, but more importantly, we talked about how HRC was able to maintain their patient and physician culture in this rapid phase of growth. He shares the structure of the clinic and what they do to maintain a small practice feel for such a large organization. Plus, Dr. Kolb offers advice for young fellows and physicians entering the world of Reproductive Medicine and what they can do to be successful in the field from both a personal and professional standpoint.

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69 - COVID-19 and the 1st Trimester: What the ASPIRE Study Could Mean for Your Fertility Clinic, an interview with Dr. Eleni Jaswa and Dr. Marcelle Cedars

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The first trimester of pregnancy is crucial. Organ development is taking place, the placenta is being developed, things that can affect the trajectory of the entire pregnancy, or the baby’s life. But as of now, there is no data on the potential impact of COVID-19 during this critical stage of development.

But soon, that will all change. And what will it mean for fertility clinics once there is scientific data?

On this special live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke with Dr. Eleni Jaswa and Dr. Marcelle Cedars, two of the Principal Investigators of the ASPIRE study being conducted through UCSF Center for Reproductive Health. This study hopes to reach 10,000 pregnant women in their first trimester and monitor them, looking for any impact that COVID-19 might have on fetuses through babies aged 18 months. They share the ultimate goal of the study, just how they are going to do it, and what you can do to be involved to help patients make more informed decisions when it comes to the potential risks of COVID-19.

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How to Avoid Losing IVF Patients at the Last Minute

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Potential patients have found you (and your competitors). They've done their research. Now, it’s up to you to give that final nudge to make that first appointment.

In this webinar, Griffin Jones continues down the patient acquisition funnel: The Decision Phase. This is where customers choose their fertility clinic, and enter it again after they are presented with their options for treatment. The stakes are high, but proper planning can lead to full schedules and ultimately, happy families.

Your name is out there via social media. You’ve provided education on your website. Your brand is established. Your competition has done the same. So what can you do to steer them toward you?

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68 - Secrets of the Affordable IVF Model and How it is Poised to Win Market Share Post-COVID-19, An Interview with Dr. Robert Kiltz, Dr. Paul Magarelli, and Dr. Mark Amols

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It’s not often that people relate the word “Affordable” with IVF. But the Affordable IVF Model is a thriving business model in a world full of expensive treatments. Despite questions about their revenue, rates, and processes, the model is growing and providing high-quality care to a vast amount of patients across the country. What can all clinics gain from this model, especially heading into a post-COVID-19 world?

On this special live episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin spoke with three leading doctors whose clinics follow the Affordable IVF Model: Dr. Robert Kiltz of CNY Fertility, Dr. Paul Magarelli of Magarelli Fertility, and Dr. Mark Amols of New Direction Fertility Centers. Together, they talk about just how they make the Affordable IVF Model work, as well as answer common objections to their services.

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How to Replace OB/GYN Referrals During a Shutdown

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After this is all over, it is likely that our patient acquisition funnels are going to shrink after a short-term surge. Noticing trends in other industries, such as home-building and manufacturing, there are massive drops in output, and it is likely to trickle into other industries as well. The key to success when restrictions are lifted will be keeping our acquisition funnels full.

Before COVID-19, 60% of a fertility center’s patients came from their OB/GYNs and other MD referrals. But if people aren’t seeing their doctors regularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, how else are clinics going to get patients?

On a live webinar, Griffin, Founder of Fertility Bridge, lays out the Fertility Patient Acquisition Funnel and what clinics can do to keep the top of their funnels full, ensuring a steady stream of patients after the surge that will come when restrictions are lifted.

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65 - Providing Patient Financial Support Amidst an Economic Disaster

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Unemployment, reduced hours, pay cuts. The reality of the COVID-19 Pandemic extends far beyond the pausing of fertility treatments. Over 60% of our country has been financially impacted by stay-at-home orders and social distancing. While clinics are working hard to keep patients in their funnels to start treatment once restrictions are limited, how are these patients going to afford the treatment? It’s not out of line to think that the demand for new financial resources will go up and the need for financing of treatments will increase. But, as we all know, discussing money can be sensitive, especially when it comes along with an infertility journey.

So, When do we talk about it with our patients? How do we talk about it with them? What can we do to help our patients afford proper care while the economy is in a downturn?

On this special episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Dr. David Adamson of ARC Fertility and Andy Swan of Ally Lending. They discuss not only the changes we can expect in lending and patient decision-making post-pandemic, they also offer advice to financial counselors on approaching the sensitive topic of funding treatment.

This episode was recorded during a live webinar. As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues and new issues arise, we are putting out new information to help you and your fertility business. Follow us on social media for updates on upcoming webinars and how to join them live. Find this information helpful? We’d love it if you’d share with a friend or colleague in the fertility space.

Need help navigating marketing through this unprecedented time? Check out our COVID-19 Toolkit from Fertility Bridge.

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62 - Navigating Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic, an Interview with Jill Gordon and Sarah Swank

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The outbreak of COVID-19 is changing the world, in both the present and in the future. In these uncertain times, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are looking to implement new technologies to continue to provide services, while limiting their face-to-face interaction. But implementing HIPAA-approved telehealth applications in a short amount of time can prove to be a challenge. Thankfully, the federal government is lifting rules and reevaluating their regulations to allow healthcare companies to use other tools to reach their patients in these difficult times. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Jill Gordon and Sarah Swank, lawyers in the healthcare division of Nixon Peabody. They navigate the changes to HIPAA regulations in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and how clinics can appropriately implement telehealth to help their patients through their journeys without seeing them in office.

57 - A Psychological Look at the Patient Journey, An Interview with Marc Sherman

We’ve all heard the stories. Your neighbor started the adoption process and got pregnant in the middle of the process. A cousin gave up on conception after 3 years and was pregnant within a month. Is there something internal going on that helps this happen? On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Marc Sherman, founder of Organic Conceptions. After two unexpected pregnancies amidst a journey with infertility, he wanted to investigate this phenomenon. Teaming up with a psychologist, Organic Conceptions created an online program for couples struggling to conceive. Their program helps to reassess patient expectations and help them through their mental and emotional challenges.

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56 - Beyond Patient Protocols: Supporting All Aspects of The Fertility Journey, An Interview with Connie Stark

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Patient retention is a crucial part to the success of any clinic. While good success rates and pleasant staff can get patients to continue treatment with you, there are other ways that your clinic can help. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, Griffin talks to Connie Stark of A.R.T. of Wellness. Their discussion uncovers a new way to help retain patients. Learn about the five aspects of life Connie focuses on in her coaching services and how integrative care can keep your patients all in on their fertility journey.

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55 - Easing the Strain of Embryo Disposition on Patients and Clinics, An Interview with Andy Gairani

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Embryo disposition is a sensitive topic for patients even long after they’ve left a clinic. However, there can also be a burden placed on clinics when it comes to making space and cryopreserving embryo, eggs, or sperm for an extended period of time. On this episode of Inside Reproductive Health, we learn more about how one company is working to alleviate the burden for both the patient and the clinic. Listen to Griffin talk to Andrew Gairani of Embryo Options, a web-based application that provides patients with disposition education and resources, along with other features that make storage easier for everyone.