It’s one thing to handle a negative review from a patient. It’s another when the attack comes from a former employee. The damage can be personal, professional, and lasting—and it often tempts physicians to respond in kind. Resist that temptation. There’s a better way forward.
The first step is confirming the source. Online comments can be anonymous or posted under pseudonyms. If you accuse the wrong person, you risk making a bad situation worse. Once you’re certain of the author, preserve the evidence. Take screenshots and note the date, time, and platform. Content can vanish quickly, and without documentation, it’s harder to take action later.
Next, look closely at what was said. A post that says, “I didn’t like working there” is generally protected opinion. But statements that are demonstrably false and harm your reputation may qualify as defamation. If the post includes protected patient information, it could even trigger a HIPAA violation—and that’s serious. This is also the point to review your own employment records. If the employee signed a confidentiality agreement, HIPAA acknowledgment, or non-disparagement clause, those documents may give you additional leverage.
From there, you have several potential paths. Sometimes the smartest move is to do nothing and let the post fade into obscurity. Other times, reporting the content to the platform for violating its terms of service will result in removal. In certain cases, a carefully worded, private request can resolve the matter quietly. And if the content is both false and damaging, a legal letter from an attorney can make your position clear.
On occasion, you may clearly identify the “anonymous” poster, who believes they are anonymous. If you hint you have evidence that they are posting the nastygrams, they’ll likely deny it, but they may stop. Because they’re embarrassed. And they got caught. Of course, that implies this individual has a conscience.
By the way, you can tie a non-disparagement agreement to severance pay, assuming you have honored all other contractual obligations. So, if you are concerned about a soon-to-be former employee’s ability to maintain discretion and professionalism, you can link some severance paycheck to future silence. Yes, you’d be trading severance pay for playing nice post-departure.
Whatever you choose, maintain professionalism. Do not share confidential information or fire off an emotional rebuttal online. Responding in the heat of the moment can extend the life of the post and make you appear defensive. Instead, put your energy into strengthening your reputation. A steady stream of authentic, positive reviews from patients and community members will push harmful content into the background—and over time, make it irrelevant.
When a former employee tries to harm your good name online, the goal is to protect your credibility without crossing lines yourself. Choose a strategy that is proportionate to the harm, preserves your integrity, and keeps you on solid legal footing.
What do you think?
