How a Lack of Online Presence Can Impact Practice Revenue and Patient Care

Google is one of the most powerful search engines—and business tools—available today. Yet many small medical practices are not taking full advantage of it.

There have been many times when I searched online for medical providers for myself or members of my family, only to find that the practices closest to us did not appear in the search results. In other cases, I contacted my insurance company for referrals and received a list of participating providers, but many of those providers never appeared when I searched for them on Google.

Then there were the practices that did have websites, but the information was outdated. Some no longer accepted the insurance plans listed on their websites. Some physicians were no longer part of the group. In other cases, office locations had changed, but the website had never been updated.

An accurate and professional online presence is important for medical practices of every size.

Most prospective patients would rather search Google than call their insurance company, wait on hold, receive an emailed list of providers, and then sort through that list one name at a time. Patients are looking for convenience, clear information, and confidence that the practice they are considering is active, accessible, and able to meet their needs.

When a practice cannot be found online—or when its website contains outdated information—it may be losing potential patients without ever realizing it.

Outdated or missing information does more than cost a practice potential revenue. It can also delay a patient from receiving needed care. When patients cannot confirm whether a provider accepts their insurance, is still practicing at a listed location, or offers the service they need, they may spend days or even weeks making calls, waiting for answers, and starting the search over. For patients dealing with urgent or worsening health concerns, those delays can be dangerous.