Castle Connolly and rater8 Partner to Modernize Provider Reputation

The collaboration aims to solve a growing disconnect in digital health: while peer recognition remains the gold standard for clinical quality, prospective patients increasingly prioritize the social proof found in online reviews. By deploying the rater8 Visibility Engine (raVE), hospitals and independent practices can now bridge this gap, ensuring that a provider's professional reputation is as accessible and robust as their clinical history.

This move responds to shifting search habits, as noted in the 2026 Patient Choice Report, which highlights a 16-percentage-point surge in AI-assisted provider discovery over the past year. By automating the collection of post-visit sentiment, the partnership provides healthcare organizations with the tools to capture authentic experiences at scale. According to Steve Leibforth, Managing Director of Castle Connolly, maintaining an active, positive presence is no longer optional for top-tier providers, as clinical credentials alone are often insufficient in a crowded digital marketplace. Evan Steele, CEO of rater8, emphasized that the integration allows institutions to present a comprehensive profile—one that reflects both the rigorous standards of professional peers and the actual experiences of the patients they serve.