As a healthcare provider, you work hard to offer your patients exceptional care. So when a negative review appears on your Google My Business page, it can feel like a punch to the gut. You may want to remove that patient review from Google fast, especially when it could harm your practice’s reputation.
In our years of working with doctors on their healthcare marketing, we’ve found that many bad reviews stem from misunderstandings—often about insurance or non-medical issues—not from poor care. While this may provide some relief, the urgency to remove the patient review before it impacts your reputation is still a top priority.
Fortunately, there are ways to handle bad patient reviews on Google My Business, and with Google’s newly released tools, the process has become even easier. This guide explores the top methods for removing bad reviews for your medical practice and turning your online reputation around.
Ways to Remove a Review from a Patient on Google
Use Google’s “Manage Reviews” Tool
Google’s “Manage Reviews” tool, a recent release, allows you to directly manage patient reviews from your Google My Business dashboard. The first step in handling a negative review is to reach out directly to the patient who left it. Often, these reviews are a result of misunderstandings, and addressing the issue directly can lead to a resolution.
Here’s how to proceed:
- Reach Out Personally: A personalized response shows you care. Reach out via phone or email, not through the public comments section of the review. This avoids any PIPEDA concerns while still demonstrating your commitment to resolving the issue.
- Patient Removes the Review: Once the patient feels heard and their concern is addressed, they are likely to remove the Google review voluntarily. In our experience, this method resolves issues in over 90% of cases.
Flag the Patient Review for Removal
If the patient review is defamatory, inappropriate, or violates Google’s policies, you can flag it for removal. This brings the review to Google’s attention, although it does not guarantee removal. To flag a review:
- Click the three dots next to the review on your Google My Business page
- Select “Flag as inappropriate”
- Google will review the flagged content and decide if it violates their guidelines.
Tweet to Google’s Small Business Team
If flagging the review doesn’t work, try tweeting directly at Google’s Small Business Team (@googlesmallbiz). Since this is a public forum, Google is motivated to respond promptly and professionally. It can be a great way to expedite process of removing bad patient reviews.
Submit a Legal Complaint to Google
In cases where the patient’s review violates your legal rights—such as containing slanderous or illegal content—you can submit a formal legal complaint to Google. This process involves filling out a request form to remove the review, but it’s typically only effective when the review contains illegal or malicious content.
Contact the Patient Review Site Directly
If the review from the patient wasn’t left on Google, you can attempt to contact the website where the review was left directly. Though this is a more time-consuming process, it can sometimes result in the review being removed, particularly if it violates the platform’s terms of service.
Why Google Makes it Hard to Remove A Patient Review
It can be frustrating to deal with bad reviews from patients, especially when they feel unjustified. However, Google’s tough stance on review removal is deliberate. Allowing businesses to easily remove any review they dislike would undermine the credibility of online reviews.
Google’s goal is to maintain the authenticity of reviews, ensuring they reflect real customer experiences. While this can make it harder to remove patient reviews, it also ensures the overall integrity of online feedback.
How to Fight Bad Reviews with Good Reviews
The most effective strategy for dealing with negative reviews is to focus on building a positive review base. Sometimes you simply can’t remove a bad patient review. Unfortunately, patients who have a negative experience are typically more than happy to go out of their way and cause some damage. Patients who have a good experience however will rarely have it on their mind to leave a positive review. Here’s how you can proactively encourage good reviews from satisfied patients:
- Ask for Reviews Regularly
Happy patients often forget to leave reviews unless prompted. By regularly asking for reviews, you increase your chances of getting positive feedback that can overshadow any bad reviews. - Make It Easy for Patients
Use email or text campaigns that send direct links to your Google review page, making it as simple as possible for patients to leave a review. - Implement a Reputation Management System
A systematic approach to gathering reviews ensures that you consistently get positive feedback from your patients. The more good reviews you collect, the less noticeable a bad review becomes. In fact, studies show that practices with a 4.8-4.9 rating seem more genuine than those with a perfect score.
The SEO Benefits of Good Patient Reviews
Besides improving your online reputation, positive reviews also boost your local medical SEO. Google ranks businesses higher when they have frequent, positive reviews, which helps your practice get noticed by new patients.
Final Thoughts: Removing Bad Reviews from Patients on Google
While it can be frustrating to deal with a bad patient Google review, especially if it’s unjustified, there are several ways you can work to have it removed. Start by addressing the issue directly with the patient, and use Google’s tools to flag inappropriate reviews. When all else fails, a proactive reputation management strategy can help ensure that your good reviews outweigh the bad.
By taking a patient-first approach and addressing complaints privately, you not only improve your practice’s reputation but also foster trust and long-term patient loyalty.
If you require further assistance in managing your online reputation, it may be a good idea to get in touch with a medical marketing agency, like MINA Medical Marketing. With a specialized team focused on improving your online presence and visibility, partnering with an agency can greatly enhance your online reputation and generate more patient leads.
