💬 How to Respond to Negative or Fake Online Reviews

🔍 When You Need This Guide

Use this guide to professionally address negative feedback and manage fake reviews across platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook.

You receive a negative review from a real patient
You suspect a fake or fraudulent review has been posted
You want to protect your practice’s reputation while staying HIPAA compliant
You’re unsure how to professionally respond or flag a review for removal

🚩 How to Handle a Negative Review from a Real Patient

A negative review is not the end of the world—it’s an opportunity to show that you care. Here’s how to turn the experience around:

Step 1: Call the Patient (If Known)

If the review came from someone you can identify, personally call them:

Listen to their concerns
Acknowledge the issue
Resolve what you can

If successful, they may even update or remove the review.

Step 2: Ask for a Review Update

If the concern was resolved, kindly ask the patient:
"Would you be willing to update your review to reflect the resolution?"

Step 3: Publicly Respond (If Not Resolved)

If the issue couldn’t be resolved or they won’t update their review, write a HIPAA-compliant public response:

Example Response:

“Thank you, we greatly value your feedback and are sorry to hear that your experience was not satisfactory. We strive to provide 5-star service at every visit and would love the opportunity to make it right. Please call our office at (555) 555-5555 so we can assist further. Thank you.”

📌 Avoid mentioning names, health info, or confirming they’re a patient.

👻 How to Handle a Fake or Fraudulent Review

If a review isn’t from a real patient or violates the site's terms, here’s how to address it:

Step 1: Make Sure It’s Truly Fake

Fake reviews often have these signs:

Reviewer name not in your patient records
Reviews posted across unrelated businesses
Describes services/products you don’t offer
Contains generic or false information
Lacks any detail or context

Step 2: Respond Publicly (Just in Case)

Respond professionally to show others you care about your reputation:

Example 1:

“Thank you for leaving a review. We take feedback very seriously, but we are unable to find any record that matches your name or experience. We strive to provide excellent care and welcome a call at (555) 555-5555 to clarify any concerns.”

Example 2:

“We’re sorry to hear you had a negative experience. Please contact us at (555) 555-5555 so we can understand what happened and help resolve the matter.”

Step 3: Report the Review for Removal

Here’s how to flag the review on common platforms:

Platform	How to Report
Google	Click the ⚐ flag icon next to the review > Select "Report review"
Facebook	Click the ⋯ three dots on the Recommendation > Select "Give Feedback on this Recommendation"
Yelp	Click the ⚐ flag icon below the review > Select "Report Review"

📌 Be patient—review sites can take days to assess your request. Removal is not guaranteed.

🧭 What to Do Next

Monitor reviews weekly
Flag suspicious ones quickly
Use all feedback to improve patient experience
Keep responses professional, HIPAA-safe, and calm

💡 Need Help?

If you’re unsure how to respond, suspect a review is fake, or need help with next steps—we’re here to support you. Reach out to our team through our in-app chat, email support, or call 1800-563-0469, and we’ll guide you through it.