As a healthcare practice, your online reputation is crucial to attracting and retaining patients. With the rise of online review platforms, patients have a powerful voice in sharing their experiences with others. According to 2020 data, nearly 71% of people use online reviews as the first step to finding a new physician. Therefore, responding to positive and negative online reviews is essential to building trust, managing your reputation, and increasing patient engagement.

Healthcare is one of the most regulated industries, so knowing how to respond to reviews in a professional and compliant manner is paramount to protecting your practice’s reputation. To help your practice respond to patient reviews and build strong patient relationships, Levo Health has outlined some tips for success.

Tips for Responding to Patient Reviews

Unlike other industries, healthcare practices must be particularly mindful when responding to reviews. Healthcare professionals need to understand and follow patient privacy laws, specifically HIPAA regulations. You should never disclose any patient information in your responses to reviews, even if the patient has already shared it publicly. Navigating the intersection of customer service, HIPAA privacy laws, and providing an accurate representation of your practice can be challenging. Fortunately, the following tips may help you respond to reviews in a practical yet compliant manner.

Responding to Positive Online Reviews

Responding to positive online reviews can be an effective way to show your appreciation for your patients and build strong relationships with them. Reinforcing positive patient experiences may even lead to referrals. To make the most out of these reviews, be sure to:

• Thank the reviewer: Start your response by thanking the reviewer for taking the time to leave a positive review. This will show you appreciate their feedback and value their opinion.

• Personalize your response: Make sure to personalize your response by using the reviewer’s first name and referring to specific details from their review. This will indicate you are paying attention to patient feedback and care about their experience.

• Highlight the positive aspects: Emphasize the positive aspects of the review and reiterate why the reviewer enjoyed their experience. This will reinforce the positive message and encourage others to book an appointment.

• Encourage repeat business: Thank the reviewer for their business and encourage them to come back in the future. This will prove you value their business and are committed to providing excellent service.

• Share the review: Consider sharing the positive review on your social media channels or website. This will show you are proud of your positive online reviews and that you value feedback.

• Stay professional: Remember to always respond professionally, even if the review is overly enthusiastic or emotional. Responding in a professional manner will allow your patients to see you take your business seriously and that you are committed to providing outstanding service.

Utilizing these tips when responding to positive reviews will help you build strong relationships with your patients and increase customer loyalty. Remember, word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools in marketing, so it’s essential to make sure your patients are heard and valued. Additionally, when potential patients see your commitment to exceptional service, they will be more likely to choose your practice the next time they need healthcare services.

Responding to Negative Online Reviews

Responding to negative reviews is often more challenging than responding to positive ones. It requires patience, understanding, and thoughtfulness. Managing these reviews is crucial to maintaining a positive reputation and showing you value patient feedback. Patients may leave negative reviews for various reasons, so understanding their perspective is key.

No one likes to receive criticism, but responding to these reviews with empathy and understanding will show you care about your patients. It may also be a chance to learn from your mistakes and make improvements in the future. Here are some tips on how to respond to negative online patient reviews:

• Respond promptly: Patients who leave negative online reviews are often seeking acknowledgment and a resolution to their concerns. A timely response can go a long way in showing your patients that their feedback is valued and that you are committed to addressing their concerns. In your response, be sure to address the patient’s experience and apologize for any negative experience they had. Ask them to provide additional details about their experience and offer to follow up.

• Avoid reactionary responses: As important as it is to respond promptly to negative online reviews, it is equally crucial to avoid reactionary responses. Negative feedback can be frustrating and even hurtful, but it is vital to remain professional and empathetic in your response. Take the time to carefully read and understand the patient’s concerns before responding. Avoid getting defensive or dismissive, as this may escalate the situation and further damage your reputation.

• Be professional and empathetic: Keep your response professional and stay focused on a resolution. Show empathy for the patient’s experience and acknowledge their feedback. Respectfully explain any policies or procedures that may have contributed to the review, and be sure to offer solutions for how you can improve the patient’s experience in the future.

• Keep it short and simple: Your response should be straightforward. Don’t make it too long or try to explain every detail of the situation. Acknowledge the patient’s feedback, apologize for any negative experiences they had, and offer solutions. Long and overly detailed responses can often be off-putting to patients and may not provide any real resolutions to the issue.

• Offer to take the conversation offline: Offering to take the conversation offline and discussing patient concerns in private is often an excellent way to resolve the issue. This can help you address their concerns directly and provide a more personalized solution. Moreover, talking in private will help you avoid any HIPAA violations or other issues that may arise from discussing health-related matters in public.

• Use the opportunity to improve: Negative reviews can be tricky to respond to, but they can also be a great opportunity for learning and growth. Take the time to reflect on what could have been done better, and use this feedback as an opportunity to enhance patient care and satisfaction in the future.

• Don’t violate patient privacy: One of the most important tips for responding to online reviews from patients is to make sure you don’t violate patient privacy. HIPAA regulations state that protected health information must remain confidential and can only be disclosed with the patient’s written consent. Make sure you avoid any discussion of a patient’s medical history or other health-related information in your response.

Overall, responding to negative online patient reviews requires a balance of professionalism, empathy, and a willingness to learn from patient feedback. Following these tips can turn a negative review into an opportunity to better patient experiences and strengthen your reputation as a healthcare provider.

Benefits of Responding to Online Reviews

Responding to online reviews from patients is not only essential for addressing patient concerns, but it may also benefit your business in other ways. If you leave reviews unanswered, prospective patients may assume you don’t care about their concerns and choose not to book an appointment with you. On the other hand, if you take the time to respond to all patient feedback, both positive and negative, it shows that your practice is dedicated to providing quality service and patient satisfaction. This can give potential patients more confidence in your practice. The benefits of responding to online reviews include:

• Building trust and credibility
• Improving patient satisfaction
• Increasing patient retention
• Boosting search engine optimization
• Highlighting strengths
• Managing your reputation
• Increasing patient engagement

Optimize Your Reputation Management Strategy with Levo Health

Are you looking to elevate your healthcare practice’s patient management and communication strategies? At Levo Health, we specialize in developing customized reputation management solutions for healthcare providers. Our team of experts will work with you to assess your current strategies and identify areas for growth.

We can help you implement new tools and technologies to boost patient communication, streamline patient management, and improve overall patient satisfaction. Contact us today to learn more. Let’s work together to enhance your practice’s reputation and grow your patient base.