How to Respond to Negative Patient Reviews

How to Respond to Negative Patient Reviews

No one likes to open a reviews page and read negative feedback about their patient care. Negative reviews can be harsh and, if not handled properly, can damage a practice’s image.

But here’s the silver lining: Negative reviews are an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to patient satisfaction.

Your response to these reviews may affect how current or potential patients perceive your practice.

For more ways to enhance patient satisfaction, visit our Patient Engagement Solutions page.

Respond Quickly, But Don’t Rush

Time is the key when dealing with negative reviews. A quick response demonstrates that you care about patient feedback and are working to improve patient experiences. However, speed is not the only consideration when writing a measured response. An impulsive reply can worsen the situation.

Read the review carefully, understand the patient’s perspective, and collect your thoughts before responding. This is much more than an opportunity to deal with one patient’s concern – it’s an opportunity to share your message with future patients who’ll read your response.

Recognize the Patient’s Concern

When responding, acknowledge the patient’s experience even if you disagree with their version of events. Empathy helps to diffuse tension and show that you take their feedback seriously.

For example, start with: Thanks for sharing your feedback with us. We’re sorry to hear your experience wasn’t what you were expecting. “

By acknowledging the issue, you validate the patient’s feelings – which often is the first step toward resolution. But be careful not to sound defensive or dismissive – that can quickly turn off the reviewer and anyone reading the exchange.

Stay HIPAA-Compliant

Responding to negative reviews requires compliance with HIPAA by healthcare providers. This means you can not share patient-specific information in case the individual has provided details of the treatment or diagnosis for the review.

To avoid HIPAA violations, keep your responses general and focused on the experience rather than the medical specifics. 

For example, instead of saying, “I’m sorry your knee surgery went wrong”: “We are sorry you weren’t satisfied with your visit.”

An example of a HIPAA-compliant reply:

Thank you for reporting this to us. We take your concerns seriously and would like to discuss this further with you. Please contact us at [phone number] so we can address this issue privately.”

This way, you protect the patient’s privacy. Learn more about our HIPAA-compliant services for healthcare providers that ensure secure patient communication.

Offer to Take the Conversation Offline

Negative reviews often stem from a misunderstanding or unmet expectation that can be resolved through an honest conversation. Once you acknowledge the patient’s concerns, offer to continue the discussion privately via phone call or in person.

This avoids a lengthy public debate and shows you are prepared to resolve the issue. More importantly, it lets you share patient-specific information without breaking HIPAA

For example, you might say, “We’d like to speak to you directly to better understand what happened and how we can improve. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.”

Avoid Generic Responses

Patients know when a response is a copy-paste template and may feel unheard or undervalued. Tailor your reply to the specific concerns raised in the review. This shows you took the time to read their feedback and are interested in resolving the issue.

Personalized responses may ease tension and turn a dissatisfied patient into a loyal one if they feel their concerns were addressed sincerely.

Be Committed to Improvement

When a patient leaves a negative review, it is often because they think their expectations weren’t met. Responding to their feedback with an explanation of how you plan to improve or correct the issue can restore trust.

As an example, if a patient complains about lengthy wait times, you can reply with: “We understand wait times are incredibly frustrating, so we are trying to reduce delays wherever possible.” 

This shows you’re listening to their feedback and doing something to fix it.

Follow Up (If Appropriate)

In some cases, following up with the patient right after resolving the issue can help repair the relationship. If the patient accepts your offer to discuss the issue offline and a resolution is reached, ask them to update their review. However, this must be done gently and only if the patient is pleased with the outcome.

A review update can signal future patients that you value feedback and are willing to go above and beyond to ensure patient satisfaction.

Turning Negative Feedback into Positive Opportunity

Negative reviews are part of running a healthcare practice but don’t have to be damaging.

Responding with empathy, sincerity, and commitment to improvement can turn a potentially harmful situation into a chance to build trust and improve your practice’s reputation.

Remember that your response is not merely for the reviewer; it is for the countless other people who’ll look at the review and judge your practice based on how you handle criticism. Respond appropriately, and a negative review can become a positive reputation-building moment.