Question

, what plan including solutions and activities would hospital administrator present to the Board of Directors to increase the reputation of the hospital in the community, keeping the physicians, bringing in more financial resources?

Answer 1

Some ways to increase the reputation of the hospital can be:

• Find out what people are saying about your hospital

  You can’t do anything to repair or strengthen your hospital’s reputation if you only have a vague idea of what your stakeholders are saying about it. A good way to research your facility’s image is to conduct a survey of all those who interact with the hospital, including community members, vendors, physicians, and employees. This will give you a well-rounded picture of your facility’s image.

• Prioritize the patient experience

1. Better reviews: Structuring services with the patient’s needs in mind can help hospitals avoid garnering negative reviews and earn positive ones instead.

2. Better patient outcomes: A patient-focused hospital experience also leads to greater patient cooperation and better hospital performance.

3. Better business outcomes: According to studies published in the Gallup Management Online Journal, patient-centered systems of care not only lead to consistently improved hospital performance, but they also promote better business outcomes and increase long-term earnings.

• Respond to negative reviews

  The best way to reduce the impact of bad reviews is to quickly and thoughtfully respond to negative comments. When replying, be sure to be courteous. Many people will judge you on how you respond to criticism, so it’s best to take the high road. Moreover, if the review is especially rude, readers will be able to see the obvious contrast between the two vastly different tones.

• Give your website a checkup

  Next, you need to ensure that your website represents your hospital in the best possible light. It needs to be accessible, mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and comprehensive. It also needs to clearly display the information that most people are looking for. A website that frustrates potential patients will only generate more negative reviews.

• Build a strong social media presence

  Social media is a key component of every hospital’s successful reputation management plan: not only does it provide you with a cheap and effective method for promoting your brand and telling your hospital’s “story,” but it also helps you stay in touch with patients and their families. However, many hospitals underutilize social media, limiting themselves to a few generic tweets or posts.

• Highlight your staff

  Highlighting physician profiles should be part of any hospital’s reputation building campaign. By showcasing your staff’s experience and friendliness, you’ll put potential patients at ease and attract more patients for your staff to meet.

• Share the experiences of former patients

  When it comes to hospital recommendations, people value the opinions of former patients the most. Take advantage of this fact and ask former patients to share their positive experiences on your hospital’s website or social media pages. Just be sure to get permission before sharing any photos your hospital didn’t take.

• Engage with the online healthcare community

  To establish your hospital as a thought leader in the healthcare community, you should regularly join in community discussions on healthcare-related websites. Your goal here should be to solidify your facility’s reputation as a healthcare authority, not to promote your services. Don’t take over the discussion. Instead, just listen and respond to comment only if you can provide some value.