7 ways to attract new patients to your practice in 2025

Growing a medical practice requires a steady stream of new patients. While traditional channels like word-of-mouth recommendations and in-network referrals remain valuable, today's successful practices recognize that a robust digital presence is essential to attract new patients and build sustainable growth.

Nearly 60% of respondents use Google or another search engine to find new doctors, dentists, or medical care, according to Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives Report.

In a digital-first marketplace, practices must optimize their online presence to meet them where they search for care — or risk losing them to more digitally accessible competitors. Here are 7 ways to leverage digital strategies to attract new patients to your practice.

A strong digital presence is the foundation of any patient acquisition strategy. At minimum, practices need a professional website that clearly displays critical information like services, location, hours, and contact details. Prominent calls to action should make it easy for prospective patients to schedule appointments online or contact your practice directly.

A mobile-first website is non-negotiable, as 63.38% of all web traffic comes from mobile according to Soax data as of August 2024. A site that loads slowly or is challenging to navigate on smartphones will likely result in lost opportunities, as patients will quickly move on to more user-friendly alternatives.

While your website serves as your digital home base, prospective patients typically research practices across multiple platforms. Claim and maintain your business profiles on platforms like Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, and major insurance directories to make sure your key information is up to date and consistent.

Search engine optimization (SEO) remains central to any successful patient acquisition strategy. SEO for independent practices encompasses the strategic techniques a practice can use to enhance your digital presence for better visibility in search results, particularly on Google. 

While search algorithms constantly evolve, certain fundamental principles remain consistent. For example, Google determines local search rankings through several factors: relevance, distance, and prominence. Prominence is influenced by your practice's online reputation, including quantity and quality of patient ratings and reviews. 

Regular content creation also strengthens your SEO strategy. Publishing relevant, high-quality content about your services and addressing patient concerns helps establish your practice's expertise. It also signals active engagement to search engines. This approach not only improves search rankings but builds trust with prospective patients seeking in-depth information about their healthcare options. 

Patient reviews and testimonials are powerful social proof for prospective patients. In the 5th annual Patient Perspectives Report, Tebra found that 62% of respondents considered positive reviews to be extremely or very important in their decision-making process. Potential patients rely on first-hand reviews from existing patients to predict their own potential experience, while also evaluating how practices respond to reviews.

Active reputation management is mandatory for successful independent practices. With nearly 75% of people citing reviews as their first step in searching for a new provider, maintaining a robust review response strategy directly impacts your ability to attract new patients. Professional, timely responses to all feedback demonstrate your practice's commitment to patient experience and continuous improvement.

Practices should also implement a strategy to generate more patient reviews. Leverage automated post-visit surveys to request feedback and make the process convenient for patients with direct links to your Google Business Profile, Yelp profile, or Healthgrades listing. Doing so is a crucial part of how to get more reviews. Also consider incorporating patient experience surveys that can generate both valuable insights and website testimonials (template available here).

Digital conveniences are a baseline expectation for healthcare delivery. Practices must offer a comprehensive digital experience, including online scheduling, secure SMS messaging, and a robust patient portal for accessing records, lab results, care requests, and more. 

Online scheduling simplifies the appointment booking process and allows patients to book based on real-time availability. Secure, HIPAA-compliant text messaging puts the conversation where many patients prefer it, and makes it easy to send appointment reminders and post-visit care instructions.

Patient portals have evolved into comprehensive care management hubs. Patients can skip the phone and handle prescription refills, access medical records, schedule follow-ups, and manage their healthcare journey on their own terms.

The catch is that it's not just important implement new technologies — it's also important to engage with them. Tebra found that 91% of patients expect a response from their providers in their patient portal within 4 to 24 hours. Practices that are able to automate routine tasks will be better able to focus on high-value activities that improve patient experience and drive practice growth.

It’s easy to think that patients who haven’t come back to the practice are lost, but that’s not necessarily the case. Patient reactivation is a significant opportunity for practice growth. Many who seem lost may just be juggling competing priorities or haven't found a reason to prioritize their medical care. This presents an opportunity for your practice to re-establish meaning fully connections.

Implement a systematic approach to patient reactivation by leveraging your practice management system to identify lapsed patients. Deploy targeted, automated communication campaigns through text and email to reconnect, in which you emphasize the importance of preventive care and share relevant practice updates or service offerings.

It's even possible to successfully reengage patients who left because of a bad experience, with the right approach. A Tebra survey found that 64% of patients who left negative reviews would return to a practice that responded to their complaint — highlighting the value of proactive patient relationship management.

Building authority and community presence is essential for independent practices. Medical and dental practices can significantly enhance their reputation and patient relationships through strategic content and community engagement.

Educational content sharing through appropriate professional channels helps to establish your practice as a trusted healthcare resource. This might include publishing expert insights on healthcare topics, participating in community health initiatives, or contributing to local health awareness campaigns. These activities strengthen your practice's reputation while providing valuable information to current and prospective patients.

Consider partnering with healthcare marketing consultants who understand both compliance and effective engagement, including when it comes to social media strategy. They can help develop and implement a content strategy that enhances your practice's professional presence while staying compliant.

Strategic paid search advertising remains an effective way to attract local patients, positioning your practice prominently in relevant search results. For example, an orthopedic surgeon in Durham, North Carolina, can instantly appear at the top of searches for “knee doctor Durham.” 

While organic search optimization and local SEO are crucial for long-term visibility, paid search offers immediate prominence in competitive markets. Google Ads allows practices to secure premium positioning through targeted bidding strategies, complementing ongoing SEO efforts.

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising provides measurable returns for healthcare practices. Some research indicates that 28.5% of users click on the first search result. With PPC's performance-based model, you only pay when potential patients actually click on your ads, making it cost-effective. 

Most practitioners go into the medical field because they want to help people, not because they want to grow a business and learn how to attract new patients. Yet at the end of the day, independent practices are local businesses that benefit from savvy digital strategies and good business acumen.

However, providers and practice managers don't need to shoulder the burden on their own. Tebra provides a full suite of technology and services to support independent practices in growing their business and providing a stellar patient experience to retain existing ones. 

Editor's note: This article was updated in December 2024 to reflect the most recent data.