Summary: A new report from Rater8 reveals that online reviews play a crucial role in patient healthcare decisions, with the majority of patients relying on them when choosing or changing providers.

Key Takeaways:

  • 84% of patients check online reviews before selecting a healthcare provider, and 40% have reconsidered or canceled appointments due to reviews.
  • Negative reviews outweigh personal recommendations for 61% of patients, emphasizing the power of online reputation.
  • Providers who actively engage with reviews—both positive and negative—can improve patient trust and practice success.

Rater8, a healthcare reputation management company, released a new report highlighting the growing influence of online reviews in patient decision-making. Based on a survey of more than 1,000 patients aged 18 to 60+ from across the United States, the report sheds light on how reviews and other factors shape healthcare choices in 2025.

Patients Check Reviews Before Choosing a Provider

The survey found that 84 percent of patients check online reviews before selecting a healthcare provider, with more than half (51 percent) reading at least six reviews before making a decision. Additionally, 40 percent of patients said that reviews have led them to cancel appointments or reconsider providers. Despite the influence of reviews, 57 percent of patients admitted they do not leave feedback for their providers.

Key Survey Findings on Patient Decision-Making

Other key findings from rater8’s survey include:

  • 26 percent of patients are considering changing providers in 2025.
  • 61 percent of patients stated that negative reviews would override personal recommendations.
  • Primary care providers were identified as the easiest to change (64 percent), compared to specialists like dermatologists (32 percent) and ophthalmologists (22 percent).
  • 45 percent of patients said a provider’s response to reviews would influence their choice.
  • 26 percent of patients said they are unlikely to leave reviews unless asked by their provider, while 47 percent are most likely to submit a review within one day of their appointment.

The Importance of Provider Engagement with Reviews

“Patients have high standards for care, and they have no qualms about changing providers when their needs aren’t met. We’ve found that physicians and practices being actively involved in soliciting, managing, and engaging with reviews makes a difference,” said Evan Steele, founder and CEO of rater8. “And, while for many everyday things a personal recommendation would still trump online reviews, our survey indicated this is not the case when people are making healthcare decisions.”

How Responding to Reviews Shapes Patient Perceptions

Steele added, “In a landscape where online recommendations are so critical to practice success, driving patients to leave online reviews is just the beginning. Responding to negative reviews helps patients see the full picture from both sides, and responding to positive reviews helps incentivize patients to continue sharing their positive stories about the practice. Providers who are not actively engaging with the reviews they receive are missing an enormous opportunity in the continued evolution of patient expectations and care.”

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