Post-Pandemic Decline in Online Reviews of Healthcare Facilities Sees Negative Reviews Surpass Positive Ones
Philadelphia, PA - A new analysis published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Network Open) reveals that online reviews of healthcare facilities dropped significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic and have yet to fully recover. According to researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, more than half of reviews on the online platform Yelp are now negative, a stark contrast to pre-pandemic levels.
The study, led by Neil Sehgal and co-author Anish Agarwal, analyzed all healthcare facility reviews on Yelp between 2014 and 2023. The findings show that the percentage of positive reviews dropped from 54.3 percent before March 2020 to 47.9 percent after. Furthermore, positive reviews were never more than 50 percent in the latter half of 2021.
"It's clear that COVID-19 has had a lasting impact on patients' perceptions of healthcare," said Sehgal. "By analyzing Yelp reviews, we can gain valuable insights into what matters most to patients and their support networks. This information can be used to inform quality improvement efforts and provide a more patient-centered approach to care."
The researchers also identified themes in the reviews that saw the greatest change between pre- and post-COVID periods, including "insurance and billing issues" and "customer service and staff behavior." They found that rural facilities were at a greater disadvantage, with 23 percent less likelihood of positive reviews compared to urban areas. Additionally, health facilities in neighborhoods with higher proportions of Black or white residents experienced significant declines in positive ratings.
The study highlights the importance of understanding the impact of COVID-19 on patient experiences and perceptions of healthcare. "This change may have implications for future healthcare policies and practices," said Agarwal. "By better understanding what matters most to patients, we can work towards more tailored and effective care delivery."
The researchers hope that their findings will inform future research into the content of online reviews and provide health care professionals with valuable tools for addressing patient concerns.
Source: JAMA Network Open Partial Funding: National Institutes of Health grants (NIH NHLBI R01HL1-141844, NIH/DHHS R01 MH127686, NIH-NIMHD:R01MD018340, and NIH K24 HL157621)