The patient experience doesn’t end after an individual leaves their physician’s office. But oftentimes, healthcare facilities don’t have a digital way to quickly and accurately gather feedback from patients once they go home.
That’s where Rivews, a startup based in New York City, comes in. Founded in 2016, the company helps healthcare organizations engage with patients after care through text messages.
In a phone interview, Rivews co-founder and CEO Yasir Ali explained how his startup’s approach works.
Approximately 30 minutes to two hours after a patient leaves a facility, he or she is sent a survey about their experience via text message. The patient can then respond with a number rating and provide additional comments via text.
“On the patient side of things, it’s as easy as texting a friend,” Ali said. He described it as similar to how Lyft and Uber ask for passenger feedback after a ride is completed.
From the provider standpoint, a doctor can log in to the Rivews portal to see how patients are responding. Through the Rivews platform, the provider can receive alerts about patients sending feedback. Physicians can also use it to cross-compare data points and learn which facilities are getting great feedback and which facilities are getting lower ratings. This, Ali said, “gives them an assessment of the healthiness of their organization.”
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
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In addition to offering an easier way to glean consumer feedback, Rivews’ solution can prompt patients to leave reviews on Google and can help facilities pinpoint negative patient experiences. Organizations can also use the tool to manage their online listings on sites like Yelp, Google and Facebook.
The New York City startup relies on a SaaS revenue model. It charges clients for its services on a monthly basis, Ali said. Rivews’ customers include a variety of organizations, including urgent care cents, dermatologists, podiatrists, family practices and others. Most of its clients are small to mid-sized practices with one to five locations.
Rivews’ latest news includes hitting 1.1 million patient engagements with a response rate of 28 percent. It also recently revealed its acceptance to StartUp Health and its Moonshot Academy for digital health entrepreneurs.
Looking ahead, the company plans to take its approach to larger health systems with a higher amount of locations. Over the next 12 to 16 months, it wants to grow its client base to more than 300 practices, Ali noted. He added that the startup, which is bootstrapped, also plans to raise a large funding round in the future.
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