Articles & Case Studies
Combine Vector Search and Exact Phrase Match
Vector search retrieves related business activities, while phrase matching requires particular wording in indexed text. A hospital example illustrates how the two can narrow an account search.
· updated October 6, 2026
“Find US hospitals with oncology services that mention a FISH test” contains two kinds of criteria. The hospital and oncology description is semantic. “FISH” or “fluorescence in situ hybridization” is an explicit terminology requirement.
Combining vector search with phrase matching lets each method handle the part it is suited to.
Step 1: retrieve the business category by meaning
Search for hospitals or healthcare centers in the US that provide oncology services. A semantic description can retrieve related wording without requiring every website to use an identical category label.
In our example search, this stage returned about 600 candidate hospitals within the indexed dataset.
Step 2: require relevant terminology
Within those candidates, search for “FISH” or “fluorescence in situ hybridization” in the indexed text. The example narrowed to 61 records mentioning the test terminology.
Review the surrounding text. A mention in educational material or a referral discussion does not necessarily mean the institution performs the service on site. The acronym can also have unrelated meanings outside the intended context.
Why this differs from researching every site
A per-company workflow must first find domains, retrieve pages, and ask the same research question repeatedly. An index allows you to reuse previously collected text for the initial search.
Further research may still be needed to confirm current services or details absent from the indexed pages. Search narrows the work; validation establishes the final account list.
Check what the phrase filter excludes
Some eligible companies may use different terminology or describe the service only on an internal page. Test known examples and inspect those misses before concluding that the filtered list is complete.
Try hybrid company search in DiscoLike with a semantic business description and one explicit requirement from your ICP.
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