What does a patient search after a referral?

The name search

0 of 30 put the practice's site first.

A directory came first 17 times. A hospital, hospital group or university page came first 10 times.

The front door

8 of 30 had no homepage in the top ten.

When a practice page did appear, it was usually a profile, About or service page. The homepage made the top three once.

Four questions

None of 89 sites answered all four.

How do I send the letter? How long does it last? How long is the wait? What does the first visit cost?

Who the page is for

49 speak to the GP. 34 speak to the patient.

30 sites had a section for referring doctors but never told the patient how to get the letter to them.

Referral length

The clock starts at the first appointment.

A GP referral usually lasts 12 months under Medicare. Only 2 of the 89 sites said when the 12 months start.

Wait and fee

10 gave a wait. 7 gave a fee.

Publish both only if they are true and current. Keep the wait qualified and the price exact.

The fix

Put the answers on each doctor's profile page.

That is the page a name search finds. Tell the patient how to send the letter, how long it lasts, the wait and the fee.

Tap for the full profile-page table