The question
A multi-location pain management group wanted to understand how patients experienced its clinics and what happened before they arrived. A single satisfaction score would not explain the differences between locations or the steps involved in choosing a practice.
Fillungo conducted patient research to investigate those questions and identify useful follow-up work.
Look beyond the first introduction
The published research reported that online channels accounted for 9% of initial discoveries, while 56% of reported actions before the first visit happened online. People were using digital information even when another source had first introduced them to the practice.
That distinction helped the group understand why the website and online reputation mattered alongside physician referrals and word of mouth.
Identify the information people used
Reading reviews of the practice or providers represented 39% of reported pre-visit actions. Visits to the clinic website represented 20%.
These measures describe the survey findings for this group. They do not establish causation or serve as a benchmark for every practice. They gave the team a reason to examine whether its reviews and website answered the questions prospective patients were already investigating.
Find the local differences
The research also identified differences in how long people had been with the practice. At the Indiana location, 34% of surveyed patients had joined within the previous 12 months.
That finding suggested a closer look at the information and support given to people who were new to the office. Other locations had a different mix of patient experience, so the same priority did not necessarily apply everywhere.
Make research repeatable
Fillungo recommended regular surveys and scorecards by location or provider. The purpose was to give the group a way to identify issues, assign action, and revisit the findings over time.
The published account describes research findings and recommendations. It does not report a measured increase in revenue or patient retention following those recommendations.
Read the original project article or discuss a research project with Fillungo.