Public reviews only tell part of the story. Private patient surveys capture honest feedback, identify problems before they become public complaints, and give you actionable data to improve.
Why Patient Surveys
Surveys serve different purposes than public reviews:
- Early warning system: Catch unhappy patients before they post publicly
- Honest feedback: People are more candid in private
- Specific insights: Ask targeted questions about areas you want to improve
- Benchmarking: Track satisfaction over time
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
NPS is the simplest, most powerful survey. One question:
The NPS Question:
"On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend [Practice Name] to a friend or family member?"
How NPS Scoring Works
- 0-6 = Detractors: Unhappy, might spread negative word-of-mouth
- 7-8 = Passives: Satisfied but not enthusiastic
- 9-10 = Promoters: Loyal fans who'll refer others
NPS = % Promoters - % Detractors
NPS Benchmarks
- Above 0: Good
- Above 30: Great
- Above 50: Excellent
- Above 70: World-class
NPS Follow-Up Question
"What's the primary reason for your score?"
(Open text field)
Satisfaction Surveys
Post-Visit Survey (5 Questions)
- Overall satisfaction: How satisfied were you with your visit today? (1-5 stars)
- Wait time: How was your wait time before being seen? (1-5 stars)
- Staff friendliness: How friendly and helpful was our team? (1-5 stars)
- Communication: How well did we explain your treatment? (1-5 stars)
- Open feedback: Is there anything we could have done better? (Text)
New Patient Survey
- How did you hear about us?
- How easy was it to schedule your appointment? (1-5)
- Did our office match your expectations? (1-5)
- Would you return for future care? (Yes/No)
- Any suggestions for improvement? (Text)
Treatment Completion Survey
- How satisfied are you with your results? (1-5)
- Was the process explained clearly throughout? (1-5)
- Would you refer us for this treatment? (1-10 NPS)
- What could we improve for future patients? (Text)
Service Recovery Workflow
Surveys let you catch unhappy patients privately. Here's how to act on it:
Immediate Triggers
- NPS 0-6: Alert to office manager/owner immediately
- Any 1-2 star rating: Same-day follow-up call
- Negative text feedback: Review within 24 hours
Recovery Steps
- Call within 24-48 hours: "I saw your feedback and wanted to follow up personally..."
- Listen fully: Don't defend, just understand
- Offer resolution: What would make it right?
- Follow through: Do what you promised
- Close the loop: Follow up to confirm resolution
Patients whose problems are resolved well often become more loyal than patients who never had a problem. Don't fear complaints—embrace them as opportunities.
Ask for Review (After Recovery)
If you successfully resolved their concern, you can ask:
"I'm so glad we were able to address your concern. If you feel we've made things right, we'd appreciate it if you'd consider sharing your experience online. Of course, there's no pressure—just wanted to let you know how much it would mean to us."
Implementation Tips
Timing
- Post-visit surveys: Same day, 2-4 hours after appointment
- Treatment completion: 1-2 days after final visit
- Annual check-in: Around their recall time
Delivery Method
- SMS (highest response): 20-30% response rate
- Email: 10-15% response rate
- In-office tablet: 40-50% response rate (but more effort)
Tools
- Google Forms (free)
- Typeform (beautiful surveys)
- Built into Weave, Podium, etc.
Track patient sentiment and identify service recovery opportunities before they become public reviews. Get started free →
The Bottom Line
Surveys give you feedback you'd never get publicly. Start with NPS for simplicity, add satisfaction questions as needed, and build a service recovery workflow to act on negative feedback. The goal isn't perfect scores—it's continuous improvement and catching problems early.
