When working in the healthcare field, reputation is everything. When a patient posts a poor review online, it makes an impact, even if the review isn’t entirely accurate. Many medical professionals are being forced to develop strategies for dealing with poor reviews, up to suing the review writer for dispersing false, defamatory information.
It can be hard for doctors and others in the medical field to respond to reviews without impinging on patient privacy. HIPAA laws make it illegal for doctors to bring up details about a patient’s care, details that could illustrate that the claims being made are false or overblown. Unlike other services, reputation is an essential factor when choosing a medical care provider. That means just a smattering of bad reviews could conceivably ruin a clinic or medical professional.
While lawsuits rarely occur, some doctors do resort to threats of legal action when they feel they are unfairly misrepresented. These threats are often enough to deter commenters or cause them to delete statements that have been made. When lawsuits are filed, it’s common for both parties to settle instead of making it through litigation. While individual commenters can be sued, it’s not possible to sue the sites where comments are being made.
Another approach involves soliciting your own reviews and comments on a site affiliated with your hospital or clinic. This approach can make a few bad reviews seem less conspicuous since you’ll have many other, more positive reviews to round them out. It also allows you the opportunity to directly address criticisms made or attempt to make amends for what occurred.
