Patient Matching Algorithm FAQs
Do new providers get any special consideration when starting?
New providers receive a 30-day onboarding period where they're consistently shown to patients while building their caseload and metrics. During this time, availability and profile quality carry more weight than performance metrics. After 30 days, if you’ve seen more than 10 patients your performance metrics will impact how often you are shown to patients. We always ensure existing providers are shown as well.
How exactly does the patient matching algorithm work?
Our algorithm uses a combination of objective data points and patient preferences to determine how frequently your profile is shown to new patients. These factors include:
Patient condition / specialty
Patient age (e.g., pediatrics)
State licensure
Total availability + caseload goal
30, 90, 180, and 365-day retention rates (excludes patients lost due to denied claims)
Provider NPS (patient feedback)
We use these factors to match you with patients who are most likely to benefit from your specific expertise and approach. Patients are then shown 10-20 provider profiles and choose who they want to work with based on what resonates with them. This means your success depends both on the algorithm showing your profile and on patients connecting with your unique qualifications and care style. We're focused on creating more opportunities for good patient-provider matches.
Where exactly do my metrics need to be, to be shown more often to patients?
Review your 30, 90, 180, and 365-day retention dials in your provider portal. Being at or above the targets that move you from red into light green is how you should gauge progress toward improved patient matching.
What to aim for:
All dials at target (light green) puts you in a much better position than having them in red
Dials in dark green (beyond baseline expectations) are even better
Why we use multiple timeframes: We want to capture patient engagement at different paces. Strong 30-day retention (2-3 appointments) indicates early engagement, while longer-term dials show sustained care. For example, if your patients consistently attend 2 sessions in the first month but then stop scheduling follow-ups, your 30-day metrics might look strong while your 90+ day metrics remain low. This pattern suggests patients aren't finding long-term value in continued care. Our goal is to support patients throughout their entire nutrition journey, from initial engagement through long-term habit formation and maintenance.
Important notes:
The targets shown on your dials are based on retention data across our provider base, not arbitrary company benchmarks
We look at averages across your caseload and compare to company-wide performance
We account for trends, seasonality, and insurance fluctuations
All timeframes are weighted equally
If you have 0 data due to tenure, those metrics are excluded (not counted against you)
Higher metrics increase how often you're shown to patients, but patients still choose their provider—so your bio and profile matter too
Since patients ultimately choose their provider, we can't guarantee how many patients will match with you, but we do increase your opportunity to be matched the stronger your performance across these dials.
Why is Nourish focused on patient retention?
Health outcomes are the ultimate measure of success and they remain our north star. Our patients, referring provider partners, and payer partners trust Nourish to deliver high-quality, sustained care that leads to real, measurable outcomes. However, measuring clinical outcomes across providers is incredibly complex: a patient with diabetes has different needs than someone seeking general nutrition guidance, but meaningful behavior change rarely happens in just one or two sessions.
Through our data analyses, patient surveys, conversations with cardio-metabolic specialists, and interviews with our highest-performing dietitians, we've found a consistent correlation: patients who stay highly engaged and continue their care see the most lasting, material health improvements.
This is why retention serves as a strong proxy for outcomes in our algorithm. We compare your averages across all your patients (recognizing the variety in their needs) rather than expecting identical results for every individual case.
My provider rating is high, but my performance metrics are low, what should I do?
NPS is a valuable measure of patient satisfaction, but it’s only one part of the bigger picture. Retention plays a bigger role in supporting health outcomes and maintaining a steady, sustainable caseload.
If patients are rating their experience highly but only attending one or two sessions, it may suggest they’re not fully engaging in ongoing care. We recommend reviewing how you structure your care plans and schedule follow-ups and if you’d like support, your CQM is here to help.
I see specific specialty types that do not require as much care, how is this factored in?
All retention targets are set at a reasonable baseline level, regardless of specialty. When setting targets, we looked at all different specialty types to ensure that goals were realistic and achievable.
I’m full-time but not getting enough initials, what should I do?
We want to ensure we’re meeting your caseload expectations. New patient matching is also influenced by factors like retention, NPS, and licensure. If you’re not seeing the volume you expected, we recommend:
Reviewing your performance dashboard, especially your four retention dials in the metrics tab
Ensuring you have availability during high-demand time slots (weekends, evenings)
Proactively managing your existing caseload by reviewing the Patients tab to identify patients who haven't scheduled recent follow-ups, then sending personalized messages to re-engage them and get them back on your schedule
Connecting with your CQM for personalized support and feedback
We’re here to help you grow — and we’ll continue offering tools, coaching, and opportunities to help you meet your caseload goals.
I went on leave - what does that mean for my metrics?
Taking time off doesn’t hurt your standing on the platform. When you return from leave, we treat you as a returning provider with a fresh start - meaning you'll be consistently shown to new patients during your first 30 days back while you rebuild your patient base.
After this transition period, your performance metrics resume normal tracking. This gives you time to re-establish your rhythm and patient relationships.
What counts as leave: You’ve informed the people team that you are pausing or going on leave and have set a return date.
I have a patient who says they canceled due to insurance, can you filter them out of my metrics?
Patients with fewer than 4 sessions and a finalized denied insurance claim are excluded from your retention metrics. We are continuously exploring ways to ensure the metrics are fair and account for things outside of your control.
That said, if a patient does not continue care and their claim was never denied, we don’t have visibility into why they left. In those cases, we recommend nudging your patient and reminding them of the Nourish Guarantee.
My retention and NPS are good, but I’m getting fewer patients than I want — why?
That’s a great sign and we appreciate your strong performance! Other factors that affect matching include:
Whether you hold licenses in red states with high demand
Your availability
Whether your profile video, bio, and specialties align with what patients are looking for
We recommend reaching out to your CQM, they can help spot adjustments to improve.
It’s hard to keep up with red state licenses — what should I do?
We understand state licensure can be time-consuming. We reimburse all state license costs, and our credentialing support team is happy to help you prioritize where to apply. You can also start small: even adding just one red state license can increase your visibility dramatically. If you need help figuring out which one, you can check out this Help Center article
I want more red state licenses — which ones should I get?
You can refer to our list of target red states based on current demand and our resources on how to apply and track CEUs.
I don’t know who my CQM is — how do I reach out?
Your CQM is listed in the metrics tab of your provider portal. Every provider has a CQM assigned for coaching, feedback, and support.
I don’t have time to meet with my CQM but I want to improve my retention — what else can I do?
If a live session doesn’t fit your schedule right now, we offer trainings you can review on your own time:
You can also send questions via email and your CQM will get back to you with advice and next steps.
Do no-shows count against my retention metrics?
No-shows for first appointments don't count against retention since the patient never engaged in care. Only patients who complete at least one session are factored into your metrics. If patients no-show or cancel a follow-up appointment and stop care altogether, that does impact retention metrics.
If I increase my availability, will I definitely get more patients?
Increased availability improves your matching potential, but it's combined with other factors. If your retention and NPS are strong, more availability will likely mean more matches. If those metrics need work, simply adding hours won't guarantee more patients.
Will my current patients be affected by these changes?
No. These changes only affect how new patients are matched to providers. Your existing patient relationships, scheduled appointments, and ongoing care plans remain exactly the same.
If I invest in new red state licenses, what's the expected timeline to receive more patients?
Most providers see increased matches within 2-3 weeks of adding a high-demand red state license to their portal. We reimburse license costs, and you can find our high need states here along with instructions on how to apply. Please note: processing times for red state licenses vary and our credentialing team as well as your RD peers in the Slack community can help you understand expected timelines by state.
How should I improve my provider profile/bio?
Your profile remains crucial since patients choose from multiple options. We recommend refreshing your bio to highlight your specialties and approach to care. Your CQM can review your profile and suggest improvements if you would like additional support.
Do certain specialties get prioritized over others?
No specialties are inherently prioritized. However, specialties with higher patient demand may see more matching opportunities simply due to volume. Our top 5 requested specialties in order are: help losing weight, general health, diabetes, gut health, and women’s health. Niche specialties are matched based on specific patient needs. We recommend you review this training to ensure you select all specialties that you’re comfortable and confident supporting.
How will this impact annual reviews?
This update in patient matching does not impact your annual reviews—our review process remains the same, and you can find more information about annual reviews here. However, the changes we're launching for patient matching are aligned with what we already consider for performance evaluations and reflect our mission and vision of helping patients live healthier, longer lives. Both our matching algorithm and performance reviews ultimately focus on the same three pillars: engaged care, patient satisfaction, and positive health outcomes.