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While online reviews are helpful for patient feedback, Elena Zamora, MD, reminds physicians they should take heed and not obsess over social media commentary.

Social media can significantly impact a physician’s career, affecting everything from their career success to their financial health. Online reviews can be particularly damaging, especially for residents and new physicians beginning to obtain a steady patient base. According to a study by healthcare reputation-management software company RepuGen, 81% of patients consult online reviews before scheduling an appointment with a new physician. Furthermore, 40% of respondents reported refusing to schedule with a physician whose reviews were subpar. Texas-based family physician Joaquin A. Villegas, MD, MPH, notes that given the importance of solid online reviews, residents and new physicians must learn how to respond to poor patient reviews without turning off potential patients.

Dr. Villegas stresses the importance of knowing where to look for physician reviews. For instance, websites like Google, Healthgrades, and WebMD are popular online destinations for review-seekers. If a physician spots a negative review, RepuGen urges a timely response, ideally within one week. UTHealth McGovern Medical School Assistant Professor Elena Zamora, MD, is an active social media user who employs online reviews to kickstart patient interactions. For example, Dr. Zamora pays particular attention to recurring themes in patient reviews to improve both physician-patient interactions and workflow issues. While online reviews are helpful when looking for patient feedback, Dr. Zamora reminds physicians that they should take heed and not obsess over social media commentary.

Communication Is Key

According to a study from Advisory Board, more than 50% of patient complaints pertained to poor communication, with long wait times and poor staff interactions following. As such, Dr. Villegas notes that streamlining workflow from the outset of patient interactions with clinical staff can be a significant step to ensuring more positive reviews. Regarding positive reviews, Advisory Board’s study found that most pertained to excellent physician bedside manner, helpful staff, and effective communication.

The American Medical Association (AMA) points out that physicians must make a concerted effort to avoid violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act when responding to online reviews. Physicians must remember that patient privacy is of the utmost importance and must be upheld, even in online public forum interactions initiated by a patient. Dr. Villegas suggests physicians should avoid mentioning any information referencing a particular patient. Instead, they should key in on the general issues referenced in the review. According to the AMA, nearly two-thirds of patients who submit negative online reviews report satisfaction with the physician’s response, which led to some altering or completely deleting their negative review. Should a patient threaten to sue, however, the AMA suggests that physicians inform their organization’s attorney.

Legal Considerations

Physicians should make sure to keep any online responses respectful and professional. According to Eric Goldman, professor of law at Santa Clara University, physicians may opt to reach out to a patient via phone or email if they can identify a patient who submitted a negative online review. If doing so, physicians should be sure not to make excuses and not blame the patient for negative feedback. Goldman urges physicians to remember that the Consumer Review Fairness Act prohibits them from penalizing patients for negative online reviews. Furthermore, asking a patient to remove a negative online review is inappropriate. Suppose a physician cannot identify a patient who posted a negative review. In that case, Goldman suggests adding contact information so that the patient can directly respond to the physician with any further comments or engage in a discussion.

Nonetheless, in any response to negative online reviews, physicians should respectfully thank patients for their feedback.