Meet Cardiovascular Institute of the South
Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) was founded in 1983 in Houma, Louisiana, by Dr. Craig Walker. At that time, the city was experiencing one of the highest cardiovascular disease mortality rates in the nation. Driven by a desire to serve and heal people in his community, Dr. Walker envisioned CIS as a leader in the development of new techniques and technologies in the treatment of both coronary and peripheral artery diseases.
With 20 locations throughout Louisiana and 1 in Mississippi, CIS proudly offers a full spectrum of care and treatment options, with over 65 providers offering 24/7 virtual care, diagnostics services, vein treatment, Warfarin management, and more.
The Problem
In 2021, CIS was experiencing frustrations related to their patient survey processes, scores, and reporting. Achieving an accurate representation of patient experiences across the board required meticulous scrubbing of the survey data. The diligence required to scrub the data was growing burdensome for the staff and patient satisfaction team, and CIS physicians likewise expressed their frustration with the data tools and survey reporting. It was difficult to get a clear picture of CIS’s patient satisfaction overall.
Over time, this lack of accurate data made it tough for CIS to identify areas of improvement to act upon. CIS’s leadership team knew that in order to continue providing the highest-quality cardiovascular care available, they would need to move on to another vendor to manage survey distribution and reporting.
When it came to the group’s online reputation, CIS was manually managing reviews as they came through, which required constant monitoring by leadership and the marketing team. Naturally, they became interested in pursuing a more streamlined system for ease of both reporting and responding to reviews. They also wanted to expand the quantity and balance the distribution of online reviews across all platforms, such as Google and Healthgrades, to boost their visibility in search results and better reflect the level of excellent care being offered to patients. With these needs and goals in mind, CIS’s leadership team began looking for a solution that could both optimize their online image and manage patient surveys.
The Solution
After evaluating options to enhance their online image and improve their patient feedback survey process, CIS’s leadership team made the decision in 2021 to adopt rater8, the leader in healthcare reputation management (HRM).
Recounting the decision, CIS’s CEO, Ryan Hebert, shared, “rater8 has truly helped transform our practice for the better. Their surveys and review requests are presented in a format that’s easy for our patients to understand, and their platform allows us to gather accurate patient feedback in real-time. Thanks to rater8, we’ve been able to continuously and effectively improve the patient experience.”
In launching rater8, CIS gained two critical new marketing benefits: 1) Reputation SEO, which boosts a practice’s ranking in search results and aims for Google 3-Pack domination, and 2) trust marketing, which establishes trust and confidence with patients through the transparent sharing of feedback from others.
CIS’s partnership with rater8 brought them several solutions, including:
Online Review Builder
Fully automated, real-time online review requests that prompt patients to rate CIS’s providers and services with a single click or tap. Integrated with the practice’s EMR system, Objective Medical Systems, rater8 sends requests directly to verified patients via text or email after checkout.
To maximize CIS’s online presence, rater8’s pollin8™ algorithm intelligently distributes reviews, directing each patient to the listing and review platform that needs the most attention.
Patient Satisfaction Surveys
Fully automated, post-visit satisfaction surveys delivered to patients via text or email. Designed to gather comprehensive feedback on the patient experience, rater8’s ergonomic micro-surveys cover the full spectrum of topics, including waiting room experience, staff performance, and more. With a customizable ratio, CIS can grow online reviews and receive patient feedback simultaneously.
The rater8 Platform
A unified dashboard that consolidates every satisfaction survey and online review to a single screen — for every listing, from every significant healthcare review site. With unprecedented visibility, CIS can easily monitor, analyze, and respond to reviews, and view advanced reports to evaluate the strengths and gaps in their patient experience.
The Results
Reflecting on CIS’s experience with rater8, Hebert said, “Our time with rater8 has been nothing short of exceptional. The value we receive for the price we pay is truly remarkable. Our ability to deliver outstanding customer service has significantly improved, allowing us to go above and beyond for our patients. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”
With rater8, CIS has experienced many successes, including:
A 40,159% increase in online reviews
The impact of adopting rater8 has been remarkable for CIS. In just one year, their online reviews skyrocketed, boosting their respectable 4.65 overall star-rating to a stellar 4.90 and highlighting their positive patient perception.
In the year before partnering with rater8, CIS built 84 online reviews across their various listings — nowhere near reflective of the number of satisfied patients that come through their practice. Upon implementing rater8’s cutting-edge technology, they were able to surpass all expectations by accumulating an impressive total of 33,848 online reviews in just one year, representing a staggering 40,159% increase in online reviews. By harnessing the power of rater8, CIS has successfully elevated their online presence and solidified their position as a trusted leader in cardiovascular care.
CIS has also benefited from rater8’s user-friendly patient feedback solution. CIS’s previous survey vendor used an 11-point scale that was confusing to patients, prone to errors, and did not provide the feedback that would allow CIS to make the best decisions for their patients. Today, rater8’s 5-star rating system allows patients to quickly, easily, and concisely express their views, and CIS can collect an abundance of data points in record time.
Google 3-Pack domination
From the beginning of their partnership with rater8, CIS’s goals were simple: improve the visibility of their listings by optimizing their online presence and maximizing their Reputation SEO, compete more effectively with other regional cardiology groups, and accurately showcase their quality of care online.
In their first full year with rater8, they accomplished all of those goals and more. Adding an abundance of positive reviews across each of their dozens of online listings resulted in a flawless reputation that quickly suppressed their competitors’, elevated their visibility, and enhanced their trust marketing. Continuing with this strategy ensures CIS will maintain these key competitive advantages.
Overall, these efforts have led CIS to become a dominant online presence in Louisiana’s highly competitive market, positioning them in the Google 3-Pack for nearly every relevant search result. For example, the practice holds the top two spots for one of the area’s most lucrative keywords: “best cardiovascular practice in Lafayette, LA.” In earning these coveted positions, CIS is effectively guaranteed to receive more actions on their listings.
Today, 86% of patients read online reviews when searching for a healthcare provider. By positioning themselves at the top of relevant searches throughout the area, CIS is maximizing one of healthcare’s most prominent local decision-making methods, driving long-term growth in patient acquisition, conversion, and retention.
A 149% increase in Google listings views
Since CIS’s initial surge in online reviews, the group has continued to benefit from a constant influx of high-quality reviews. Their greater online visibility continues to drive more patients to view and take action on their online listings, ultimately leading to more booked appointments and an excellent return on their rater8 investment.
Indeed, in the past year with rater8, CIS has seen an 83% increase in online reviews, correlating to a 149% increase in Google listings views.
With rater8’s effective HRM solution in place, CIS will continue to collect timely, high-quality reviews, maximizing their Reputation SEO and fostering patient trust in perpetuity.
Further, CIS is now confident in the accuracy and timeliness of patient feedback. Their providers rest easy knowing that rater8 will consistently provide the insights they need to deliver and showcase their exemplary patient care. By understanding what their patients truly think and feel, CIS will continue to make informed decisions that enhance their services and overall patient experience.
