• How to respond to a negative online review

    Patients and employers are checking on your online reputation, and you should be too.

    If you find a negative review, it can be productive to respond. Although patients can write freely about their visit, physicians cannot do the same because of HIPAA regulations.

    A useful strategy for physicians is to simply and politely acknowledge the review with a statement that acknowledges what the patient experienced and offers to make amends. For example, “Sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. Please contact our office manager if you would like to discuss it further.” This type of response can open up communication with the patient who wrote the review while letting others know that the physician is interested in hearing feedback and improving patient satisfaction.


    Adapted from “Establishing and Protecting Your Online Reputation.” 

    Posted on Jan 12, 2018 by FPM Editors


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