Your medical practice’s online reputation is a deciding factor for prospective patients, with reviews on platforms like Google, Healthgrades, and WebMD often providing a first impression of you as a provider and your practice. This means that accumulating enough positive reviews is critical to standing out among the competition.
At Medical Justice, online reputation management with eMerit is one of the most valuable services we offer, providing a robust review-building workflow and concierge support when you need it. Here is what we have learned about the ideal time and place to ask patients to leave a review.
The Right Time to Request a Review
Timing is everything. Ideally, you want to request a review at a moment when a patient is most satisfied with their care. These instances typically include:
- Immediately following a positive patient encounter. A patient who just received great news about their condition or treatment, scheduled a desired procedure, or was able to get important questions answered about their care is likely to leave an enthusiastic review.
- After a follow-up visit. If a patient has had time to experience the results of your care and expresses gratitude, this is an opportune moment to request feedback.
- Upon completion of a treatment plan. Patients who have seen the full benefit of their care are more likely to provide detailed and positive testimonials.
eMerit helps you incorporate review requests into routine patient interactions consistently and naturally. You’ll have complete control over when a patient is surveyed to ensure it’s the best time for your patient and practice.
Timing review requests appropriately with HIPAA-compliant tools like eMerit allows doctors to build a robust online presence legally and ethically.
Best Practices for Asking for Reviews
Keep It Simple (and Ethical)
The “ask” should feel natural and non-coercive. A straightforward approach works best, such as, “Would you be willing to share your experience with others? Your feedback helps other patients and allows us to continue improving our care.”
Make it Easy
Provide clear instructions and make accessing the review platform easy. Many of our practices have a dedicated iPad and keyboard in their office to hand to patients at this time. When asking for a review online, make it user-friendly to leave a review by including a link or QR code that enables patients to provide feedback with minimal effort.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Physicians can streamline review collection using services like eMerit, which allows patients to securely and conveniently leave their feedback. Beyond review collection, our eMerit program offers several advantages you won’t find with other review management services:
- Concierge assistance (from a human, rather than AI) with responding to negative reviews
- Direct medico-legal hotline
- Numerous templates to assist with patient conflict resolution
- No review duplication across sites
eMerit helps you gather authentic patient reviews while safeguarding your practice from online conflicts. Your dedicated Account Manager will help tailor the best implementation strategy for you, your staff, and your workflow.
What Not to Do When Asking for Patient Reviews
Never Pay for Reviews
The temptation to incentivize reviews is understandable but dangerous. Regulatory agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibit offering compensation in exchange for reviews and violations have resulted in hefty fines. This includes not offering discounts or gift cards. Technically, the FTC does allow such incentives, but it MUST be disclosed in the review, which would likely render the review valueless. Read more about one such debacle in our blog, 100,000 Reasons Not to Purchase Fake Reviews.
Avoid Review Gating
Some businesses filter patients by asking for feedback first and only directing positive responses to public review sites. This practice, known as “review gating,” is illegal and has led to multi-million dollar penalties for companies caught suppressing negative feedback.
Be Cautious With (But Not Afraid Of) Negative Reviews
Physicians cannot legally remove negative reviews (there are exceptions for fake reviews and if it meets the formal definition of defamation, and is adjudicated), but you can respond professionally—if done correctly. HIPAA prohibits disclosing protected health information, so responses must be carefully worded to avoid HIPAA violations.
A neutral response to a negative review might be, “We take patient feedback seriously and strive for the best care experience. We invite any patients with concerns to please contact our office directly so we can address them.” Responding broadly to the public about your practice, while avoiding disclosure of protected health information, is also a strategy. That telegraphs to the public the types of steps the practice takes if and when there is the inevitable unexpected outcome.
When you need assistance crafting a compliant response, Medical Justice can help you respond to negative reviews—and dilute their impact by gathering more positive reviews.
(Still wondering what to do about a negative review? Read our blog, Yes, You Should Respond to Negative Reviews—Here’s Why.)
The Benefits of a Strong Review Strategy
A well-managed review system like eMerit does more than enhance your online presence—it provides a layer of protection against unwarranted attacks. A high volume of positive, legitimate reviews:
- Dilutes the impact of an occasional negative review
- Bolsters credibility with both patients and medical boards
- Reduces the likelihood of defamation or reputational harm
You can take control of your online presence by consistently and ethically requesting patient reviews. Just be sure you’re maintaining compliance with industry regulations.
Take the Right Approach to Patient Reviews
Looking for review-building and medico-legal support to safeguard your reputation? Medical Justice offers expert guidance. Schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation today to learn about our eMerit program.
