Building Trust Online: Managing Patient Reviews and Your Clinic’s Reputation

In today’s digital-first world, your medical practice's online reputation is often a patient's first impression. Before even considering an appointment, prospective patients are increasingly turning to Google, health directories, and social media to read reviews and gauge the experiences of others. This makes online reputation for doctors a critical component of successful medical marketing. However, managing patient reviews, encouraging positive feedback, and responding to criticism in an ethical manner requires a nuanced approach, particularly given AHPRA's stringent advertising guidelines.

The Power and Peril of Online Reviews

Online reviews are a double-edged sword:

• The Power: Positive reviews act as powerful social proof, building trust and credibility. They can significantly influence a patient's decision to choose your practice over a competitor. High ratings and a good volume of reviews can also boost your local SEO, making your practice more visible in search results.
• The Peril: Even a few negative reviews can deter potential patients. More importantly, poorly managed reviews, either by ignoring them or responding inappropriately, can damage your professional standing.

The unique challenge for healthcare providers lies in managing reviews while strictly adhering to AHPRA's advertising guidelines, which notably prohibit the use of testimonials that mention the clinical aspects of healthcare.

Navigating AHPRA and Ethical Review Management

The primary hurdle in managing patient reviews for healthcare professionals in Australia is AHPRA's National Law, which prohibits the use of testimonials concerning a regulated health service or a health practitioner providing a regulated health service. This means you cannot:

• Display or quote patient testimonials about the clinical effectiveness of a treatment or a practitioner's clinical skill on your website, social media, or other advertising channels.
• Incentivise patients to provide testimonials about clinical care.

However, AHPRA's guidelines do not prohibit patients from posting reviews on third-party sites such as Google, HealthEngine, or Whitecoat. The responsibility lies with the practitioner or their agency to ensure that their own advertising does not include these testimonials.

This nuance is key for ethical review management:

1. Do Not Solicit Clinical Testimonials: Never ask patients to write reviews specifically praising a treatment outcome or your clinical expertise.

2. Focus on Service and Experience: When encouraging reviews, guide patients to comment on aspects of their experience that are not clinical outcomes, such as:

• • The friendliness of the reception staff.
  • The clinic's cleanliness and comfort.
  • The punctuality of appointments.
  • Ease of booking.
  • Overall, a positive feeling about the visit, without detailing the clinical results.

3. Monitor All Review Platforms: Regularly check Google My Business, Facebook, HealthEngine, and other relevant review sites.

4. Strategic Responding to Medical Reviews: Online feedback whether positive, or negative should always be handled with professionalism, consistency and care. At Vividus, we recommend never engaging in a public response to a Google review. Instead, take the matter offline immediately to protect patient privacy and maintain compliance with AHPRA guidelines. Here’s some ways on how to manage it appropriately:

• • Do Not Respond Publicly: Avoid replying directly on the review platform. Public responses can create compliance risks, appear defensive or reveal patient details.
  • Acknowledge Internally: Record and review the feedback within your team. Positive reviews can inform recognition and training, while critical reviews highlight areas for improvement.
  • Reach Out Privately (If Appropriate): If the reviewer can be identified, contact them directly via phone or email to thank them or address any concerns in a confidential, respectful way.
  • Remain Professional: Always respond in a calm and respectful manner. Avoid emotional or defensive language and do not engage in debate.
  • Maintain Records: Keep internal documentation of all feedback and how it was managed for transparency and quality improvement.
  • Flag Inappropriate Content: If a review includes offensive, defamatory, or false statements, report it to the platform for review or removal.

Taking the conversation offline ensures you uphold patient privacy, demonstrate integrity, and protect your clinic’s reputation without risking public missteps.

Harnessing Google Reviews for Clinics

Google reviews for clinics are particularly impactful because they directly influence your visibility in local search results, as discussed in our Local SEO blog, and are often the first thing prospective patients see. Encouraging and managing Google reviews ethically should be a core part of your online strategy.

• Make it Easy: Provide a direct link to your Google review page in post-appointment emails or on your website. A small, polite sign at reception can also serve as a gentle reminder to patients.
• Integrate into Workflow: Train your staff to understand the importance of reviews and how to ethically encourage them.
• Regular Monitoring: Set up alerts to notify you of new reviews,

Building Authentic Trust

The goal of review management is not just to get high ratings, but to build authentic trust. Patients understand that not every experience will be perfect, but they value transparency, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to patient care, even when things go wrong. By adopting a proactive and compliant approach to your online reviews, you demonstrate these qualities, reinforcing your online reputation for doctors and reassuring prospective patients that your clinic is a safe, ethical, and patient-centred choice.

Need help building a trustworthy online reputation?
Let Vividus guide your clinic with compliant review strategies that work.

Disclaimer:
Information in this article is current as of October 2025 and reflects AHPRA advertising guidelines applicable at that time. Regulations and best practices may change; always seek professional advice for your specific situation.