Replying to reviews is good for your practice. Google notices it, and people reading your reviews notice it. But healthcare practices play by different rules than a plumber or a restaurant, and the friendliest reply can still be a problem.
Why the patient can say it and you can’t
Patient privacy rules limit what your practice can disclose, not what the patient chooses to share. When a patient writes “Dr. Smith fixed my sciatica,” that’s their information to share. If your reply says “So glad your sciatica is better!”, your practice has now confirmed that this person is a patient and what you treated them for. The patient posting first doesn’t give the practice permission to talk about them publicly.
This has been enforced
The Department of Health and Human Services has settled with healthcare practices over review replies that disclosed patient information. A Dallas dental practice paid $10,000 in 2019 after responding to Yelp reviews with patient details, and a New Jersey health center paid $30,000 in 2023 after doing the same on Google. Both started with a patient complaint.
Sources: Fierce Healthcare, HIPAA Journal
Replies that are safe to use
Positive reviews
- Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review! We really appreciate the kind words.
- Thank you! Comments like this mean a lot to our whole team.
- We appreciate you sharing this. Thanks for the support!
Negative reviews
- Thank you for your feedback. We take every concern seriously and would like to talk with you directly. Please give our office a call.
Don’t explain, don’t defend, and don’t mention their visit. Move the conversation offline.
Replies to avoid
- “Glad your back feels better!” (confirms treatment)
- “Thanks for coming in!” or “See you at your next appointment!” (confirms they’re a patient)
- “Sorry your adjustment was sore.” (mentions treatment)
- “Actually, our records show you missed two appointments.” (discloses patient information, and it’s the most common mistake on negative reviews)
Asking for reviews the right way
Ask every patient, not just the ones you think are happy. Google doesn’t allow “review gating,” which means screening out unhappy patients before asking. Don’t offer discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews. A good time to ask is a few visits in, once a patient is feeling the difference. A short text with your review link, sent from your own system, works well.
This isn’t legal advice
I’m not a lawyer. This is the common-sense version of what I see trip practices up. Have your compliance resources sign off on your reply templates.
Want help with your reviews?
I write review replies for practices and help set up a simple way to ask every patient. Call or text 910-299-2558, or use the contact page.