As the nation’s largest physician-owned outpatient radiology provider, SimonMed Imaging knows about building a reputation. Even though thousands of patients praised their same-day appointments and convenient locations—online reviews were still mixed.
SimonMed Imaging always seeks to provide patients with the best care possible, but Podium gave SimonMed yet another way to improve its service. Regional Managers receive alerts when patients post new reviews, so they can respond directly to patients in real-time.
“We were looking to elevate our online presence, and wanted to make sure we were appearing when people were in need. We also wanted patients to understand that they have an option.”, says Lindsay Cheatham, marketing manager. “We know that part of the algorithm that Google uses, online reviews help improve your local SEO and search rankings.”
Generating reviews quickly and effectively.
Adding Podium to all SimonMed locations across the country made an immediate impact. “Reviews started to pour in, and where we had little to no reviews we now have hundreds and thousands,” says Cheatham. Additionally, they found the service also improved patient engagement. “The ratings skyrocketed. We started off at a 2.5-star rating, and now are operating on average at a 4.5-star rating across all of our locations.”
These new reviews also gave SimonMed qualitative feedback for improving the patient’s journey too. With Podium’s sentiment analysis tool, SimonMed gained a clear perspective on what keywords reviewers frequently used, giving the business additional insight into what mattered most to patients.
Engaging with patients.
Messenger provides an additional means to connect with patients and comes in very handy to address scheduling/billing concerns, or general questions/concerns. It is convenient for both SimonMed and its patients since it is all via text message. “We’ve learned that patients are more likely to respond via text message versus an email or phone call as it is instantaneous and can be done on their time with little to no disruption,” claims Cheatham.
SimonMed Imaging sees many benefits from using Podium. The best is the ability to better connect with and serve patients. “In a time of need, we now come up as a point of reference they may be looking for, along with a trustworthy and reliable source based on authentic reviews by real patients,” says Cheatham.