One of the most critical parts of your success in the medical field is your reputation. People will form opinions regarding your credibility and integrity after observing your actions and reading the experiences of other patients.
A negative review can thwart your reputation and leave you scrambling to recover your name. Your response is an opportunity to show professionalism and empathy so you can preserve your character.
Act promptly
As soon as you hear about a negative review, a prompt response can show that you care about your reputation and you care about your patients. Having a strategy in place for handling negative reviews can aid in a timely response. For example, you may offer a free service in exchange for the removal of a bad review. Using professional language and refraining from threats can help you regain control of the situation.
Accentuate positives
Even if you respond promptly and are able to resolve things rather quickly, your reputation may feel the impact of a negative review. According to Entrepreneur, when this happens, assess the extent of the damage and set realistic goals to recover your reputation. If your patients express hesitation about the situation, highlight the positive accomplishments of your practice and your experience.
If a bad review has resulted in an investigation that threatens your medical license, you have the right to a fair review of the situation. You may choose to hire an attorney to help you dispute the allegations without causing further damage to your reputation and career. Even though recovering from a bad review may take time, you do not have to allow biased opinions to hamper your success.
