Survey season is in full swing, and with the number of different rankings increasing over the past two decades, it’s essential to consider how to factor them into your marketing strategy.
While some organizations feel rankings aren’t worthwhile, consumers see them as a marker of quality. Many of the different surveys are based in part or entirely on outcomes data, as reported by the hospital to CMS, while others include reputation surveys. Physicians, too, find the surveys worthwhile. According to a recent study of 132 physicians across seven states, physicians are incredibly interested in achieving high-level performance on clinical quality metrics — with “driving high-quality care” as the primary catalyst. Most hospitals have instituted continuous quality improvement models and committees to help ensure that outcomes are on the top of everyone’s minds.
How much weight does this actually hold with patients? Are rankings really affecting your brand and patient referrals?
More and more patients choose hospitals and specialists based on rankings, reputation, and outcomes data. Having quality ratings available to compare providers can help empower consumers to make more informed healthcare decisions. A recent study found that over 80% of consumers search online before making a healthcare decision. And perhaps one of the most substantial pieces of evidence: of the 10 million unique visitors to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals site each month, 77% of them are researching specialists. For consumers, hospital rankings are an imperative source of information to consider while making an informed decision about their healthcare.
How can you affect your rankings? Brand awareness campaigns are an obvious first choice. Let physicians know about your accomplishments, which is a surefire way to stay top-of-mind during voting. Don’t be afraid to run your campaigns all year long, in fact, we encourage it. Your message won’t get lost in the shuffle and it will build on itself, only strengthening your story. Getting your physicians on board is another strong tactic. Ask them to engage on social media with their connections. Encourage them to connect with referring physicians and engage via CME, grand rounds, meal meetings with clinical presentations, and medical societies.
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