By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    4 Reasons Why Medical Device Compliance Matters
    May 22, 2020
    What To Know About The Importance Of Healthcare Marketing
    November 23, 2019
    healthcare courses
    6 Supplemental Courses in Healthcare to Support Your HR Degree
    August 20, 2021
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Dealing with Negative Online Reviews of Doctors
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Dealing with Negative Online Reviews of Doctors
eHealth

Dealing with Negative Online Reviews of Doctors

Jonathan Catley
Last updated: August 12, 2014 8:00 am
Jonathan Catley
Share
4 Min Read
Reputation Management, Review Management, Online Physician Reviews
SHARE

Can one bad apple ruin it for the bunch? Yes, if you’re talking about online reviews.

Can one bad apple ruin it for the bunch? Yes, if you’re talking about online reviews.

Doctors train for many years and work very hard to maintain robust practices, so it is only natural that they are very protective about their reputations. As sites such as healthgrades.com and ratemds.com grow in popularity, it becomes harder and harder for physicians to manage their reputations online.Reputation Management, Review Management, Online Physician Reviews

So what happens when a patient posts a scathingly bad review?

More Read

3 Key Benefits of Personalizing Patient Price Transparency
The Latest Healthcare Technology Systems Today help Boost Patient Care
B. Braun Acquires Patent for Wireless Communication Between Medical Devices And Hospital Information Systems
Total Cost of a HIPAA Violation: 18.5 Million
The Symptoms of Texting [INFOGRAPHIC]

The results may not be as bad as you would imagine. In fact, a study found that most patients had never checked their doctor’s reputation online at all. However, the same study found that patients are beginning to be more aware of physician reviews online and are likely to begin consulting online reviews of doctors in the future.

That means that a bad review may not be the end of the world right now, but could negatively impact a physician’s future business if he or she does not take steps to improve his or her image online.

Combating a Bad Review

The best way to combat a bad review is to fight fire with fire. While many doctors may feel the urge to discourage patients for posting reviews online, the exact opposite is the best response. Doctors should work with their marketing team to make a plan to encourage patients to post more reviews online.

Why? Because a recent analysis of online doctor ratings shows that more than three-quarters of all doctor reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Encouraging patients to go online and write a review is very likely to result in a higher number of positive reviews, which will help to mitigate the damage of any negative reviews.

When criticized in a public forum, it may be tempting for a doctor to respond publicly. In most circumstances, the doctor would be better served to either respond privately or not at all. Often the doctor’s other patients will publicly defend their doctor. If there is truth to the criticism, however, the physician should take steps to remedy any problems that led to the negative review.

What if a Negative Review Isn’t True?

Physicians should directly contact review sites if they believe a review is planted or false. While review sites will not remove reviews solely on the basis of their being negative, some will consider removing a review if it can be proven false or inaccurate. Most sites will require some kind of proof.

Lawsuits are rarely a good option for physicians seeking to vindicate themselves from a negative review, even if it is false. A lawsuit can draw more attention to a situation that will most likely go away on its own, and can negatively impact a physician’s relationship with his or her other patients. If the physician has proof that the negative review was planted by a competitor, a lawsuit may be appropriate and more successful than one against a patient. Doctors may be better served, however, by engaging patients and encouraging them to participate in the online community.

TAGGED:online reviews
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Image
eHealthWellness

Is Design Important in Healthcare?

June 23, 2014

What Defines Someone as Health Literate?

January 21, 2013

Linking Meaningful Use and HIT Sector Consolidation

October 16, 2012
Image
BusinesseHealth

High Quality, Low Cost HealthCare Video Interview Series: Dr Nick van Terheyden and Nuance Health Solutions

February 5, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?