Summary:  This study analyzed review volume correlation with new referrals over 28 months for a “young” hand surgeon (A) and “established” hand surgeon (B).  Surgeon A had a net gain of 128 reviews and 128 new patients.  Surgeon B had a net gain of 50 reviews and 93 new patients.

Conclusion:

1. New reviews correlate with new patients with R²=0.96 (highly correlated)
2. Online reviews can augment practice growth for both young and established hand surgeons