32 citation sites and directories every US physician practice should be on
Patients find doctors through search, maps, directories and their insurer's provider list, and many of those sources copy data from each other. One wrong address or outdated phone number can spread across dozens of sites. This list is in priority order, including the official records that feed the rest.
- Perfect Google, Apple and Bing listings for the practice and, where allowed, each physician.
- Claim Healthgrades, WebMD Care, Vitals and US News profiles for every physician.
- Keep NPI, CAQH and insurer directories current. Other sites copy from them, and patients start there.
- Add board certification and specialty society listings you qualify for.
- Fix the data aggregators to correct errors at scale.
- Every practice welcome — retainers from $499/mo, Goals-Driven engagements, Performance-Linked Payout Models available.
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The essentials every US medical practice needs
Short answer: patients find doctors through search and maps, then check reviews. These listings decide most local visibility.
| # | Site | Type | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Business Profile | Search & maps | Drives "doctor near me" searches; separate profiles for the practice and, where Google's guidelines allow, individual physicians. |
| 2 | Apple Business Connect | Maps | Controls your Apple Maps and Siri listing. |
| 3 | Bing Places for Business | Search & maps | Feeds Bing and some AI assistants. |
| 4 | Yelp | Reviews | Widely checked for reviews of practices. |
| 5 | Facebook page | Social / reviews | Recommendations, hours and updates. |
| 6 | Better Business Bureau | Trust | A trust check some patients and employers make. |
| 7 | Nextdoor business page | Local recommendations | Neighbours ask for doctor recommendations here. |
Physician directories and booking platforms
Profiles on these sites rank for doctor-name and specialty searches, and several offer online booking.
| # | Site | Type | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Healthgrades | Provider directory | High-visibility physician profiles with ratings; claim and complete each profile. |
| 9 | Zocdoc | Booking marketplace | Patients search by insurance and book online; paid model, so track cost per booking. |
| 10 | WebMD Care | Provider directory | Physician profiles on a high-authority health site. |
| 11 | Vitals | Provider directory | Provider profiles and ratings. |
| 12 | US News Health (Find a Doctor) | Provider directory | Profiles built from public data; check they are correct. |
| 13 | Doximity | Professional network | Public physician profiles often rank for a doctor's name; keep yours accurate. |
| 14 | Sharecare | Provider directory | Physician profiles and health content. |
| 15 | RateMDs | Reviews | Patient reviews of physicians; monitor and keep details accurate. |
| 16 | Psychology Today | Specialty directory | Essential for psychiatry and mental health practices. |
| 17 | Solv | Booking marketplace | Used by urgent care and walk-in clinics for online booking. |
Official records and insurance directories
Many directories copy data from these sources, and patients rely on insurer directories to find in-network doctors.
| # | Site | Type | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | NPPES NPI Registry | Official record | The federal NPI record; keep practice locations and phone numbers current. |
| 19 | CAQH ProView | Credentialing data | Many insurers use it for provider data; regular re-attestation keeps directories accurate. |
| 20 | Medicare Care Compare | Official directory | Medicare's public lookup for doctors and clinicians; data comes from Medicare enrollment. |
| 21 | State medical board license lookup | Official record | Patients and directories check licensure. |
| 22 | Insurer provider directories (UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Humana and others you accept) | Insurance | Where many patients start. Keep accepting-new-patients status current. |
| 23 | Hospital affiliation directories | Hospital | Affiliated hospitals' find-a-doctor pages carry authority and referrals. |
Board certification and specialty societies
Directories that confirm credentials or serve patients looking for a specific specialty.
| # | Site | Type | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | ABMS Certification Matters | Board certification | Patients and directories verify board certification here. |
| 25 | AAP Find a Pediatrician (HealthyChildren.org) | Specialty society | For pediatricians who are members. |
| 26 | ACOG Find an Ob-Gyn | Specialty society | For obstetrician-gynecologists who are members. |
| 27 | AAOS Find an Orthopaedist | Specialty society | For orthopaedic surgeons who are members. |
| 28 | AAD Find a Dermatologist | Specialty society | For dermatologists who are members. |
Data aggregators
Correcting these fixes errors across many smaller sites and apps at once.
| # | Site | Type | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Data Axle | Aggregator | Supplies business data to many directories and apps. |
| 30 | Foursquare | Aggregator | Location data used by many apps. |
| 31 | Neustar Localeze (TransUnion) | Aggregator | Distributes listings to search engines, maps and directories. |
| 32 | Yellow Pages (yp.com) | Directory | Still indexed and syndicated widely. |
How to prioritise and keep listings accurate
- Fix the sources first: NPI Registry, CAQH ProView and Medicare enrollment. Errors elsewhere often start here.
- Decide your exact NAP for the practice and each location, and use it everywhere.
- Claim tier 1 and physician directory profiles for the practice and every physician.
- Check insurer directories for each plan you accept, including accepting-new-patients status.
- Correct aggregators, then review quarterly and after any change.
Note: directories change their listing models, fees and rules. Check each platform's current terms. Listing a site here is not an endorsement.
Related pages from the US team
Primary care marketing USA
Our approach for US primary care practices.
Citation sites for US dental practices
The equivalent list for dentists.
Citation sites for US med spas
The equivalent list for aesthetic practices.
Insurance pages that convert
Presenting accepted insurance on your own website.
Every practice welcome — Goals-Driven engagements from $499/mo
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Common questions
What are the most important directories for doctors?
Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect and Bing Places first, then physician directories such as Healthgrades, WebMD Care, Vitals and US News, booking platforms like Zocdoc if they suit your practice, and your insurers' provider directories. Official records such as the NPI Registry and CAQH ProView feed many other sites.
Why is my information wrong on doctor directories?
Many directories build profiles from public and insurer data, such as NPI records, Medicare enrollment and insurer rosters, and from data aggregators. If an old address or phone number exists in those sources, it spreads. Correct the sources first, then claim and fix individual profiles.
Should each physician have their own Google Business Profile?
Google allows individual practitioner profiles in some situations and has specific guidelines for practices with several practitioners. Follow Google's current guidelines; for solo practitioners the rules differ from multi-physician practices.
Does CAQH affect online directories?
Indirectly. Many insurers use CAQH ProView data to maintain their provider directories. Keeping your CAQH profile accurate and attested helps keep insurer directories correct, which is where many patients search for in-network doctors.
How often should a practice audit its listings?
Check Google and Apple monthly, physician directories and insurer directories quarterly, and everything immediately after a move, new phone number, new physician or change in accepted insurance.
A note on this guide: it explains marketing practice, not legal advice. Rules on privacy, advertising and insurance change and vary by state, so confirm anything compliance-related with your own counsel.
Want your practice listings fixed and consistent?
A 30-minute benchmarking call with the US team. We'll check your key listings and tell you what we'd fix first.