How to Write a Good Doctor Review Online (2024)

Businesseshave been the subject of online reviews for many years, and doctors are no different. For many years, most people have dependedonreferrals from theirdoctor, or recommendations from friends and loved ones when choosing a new doctor or specialist.

But, what happens when you need to visit a specialistthat friends and family haven’t yet seen?How do you know which doctor to choose?More and more people are turning to online reviewsin order to find the doctor that’s right for them.

In 2015,92% of consumers read online reviews about a local business (which includes reviews about physicians).Moreover, 68% of consumers say that reviews make them trust a local business more. While these numbers aren’t specific to healthcare, they cangive you an idea of just how important online reviews are to consumers, and perhaps especially so for those seeking outa new doctor.

Tips for Writing a Useful Doctor Review / Rating

Many people search the web for tips on how to write a good doctor review before actually reviewing or rating a physician themselves. Because we’ve had someexperience moderating doctor reviews that have been submitted to MD.com, we wanted to share some best practices and tips on how to makeyour review the best it can be.

Before GettingStarted

First, decide whereyou’ll submit your review (which website) — if there’s a site that doesn’t have any reviews for your doctor, consider submitting there.

• Readthe website’s instructions, tips or FAQabout reviews.
• Read the site’s Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
• Read reviews that others have already leftfor that doctor on thewebsite you’re submitting to (if any have been published)
  • Not to influence your own review, but to see if there’s anything specific from your experience with the physician thatyou can contribute that will add additional value (as opposed to reiterating or reaffirming what others have already posted).

The Review, Testimonial and/or Rating Process

Getting Started

Getstarted byfollowing any on-page directions & prompts to begin answering the questions you’re presented, or writing the content of your review. Look out for any warnings, such as this one that we use on MD.com:

Writing a Testimonial or Review of Your Doctor

Tips to keep in mind…

If and when it comes time to sit down and write theactual content of a review or testimonial, consider these tips:

• Always provideyour honestopinion
• Include anecdotal examplesof your experience, or things you took notice of that you feelothers would find useful
• Remember that the overarching goal of a great doctor review is tohelp other potential patients(not to vent your anger or frustration with the office staff, practice or hospital)
• For your own privacy, be mindful of submitting any potentialpersonally-identifiable information; tryyour best tomaintain a healthy balanceofanonymity (to protect yourself), and specificity (to add value and help others)
• On most sites, you will be offered a five- or ten-pointscale, which you should complete tothe best of your ability. Hereat MD.com, our rating system asks you (a) if you’d recommend the doctor, and (b) to select from nine differentreview ‘tags’ based on your experience (see the screenshot below)

Questions to ask yourself…

Asking yourself questionslike these can help stimulate the writing process and help you come up with what to write in the body of an actual doctor review or testimonial:

• How easy was it to schedule an appointment?
• Was it was easy to get in touch with the doctor by phone?
• Was the doctoron time for your appointment?
• What type of bedside manner did the doctor have?
• What did you like about the overall experience?
• Is there anything the doctor could have improved upon?
• Would you recommend the doctor to a friend or family member?
• Did you have any trouble with billing or insurance?

Minding your style and tone…

When writing the body or content of a review or testimonial, remember to be concise butinformative. While every review is going to be subjective by its very nature, try your best to write it from an objective point of view.

• When submittinga positive review(which could be considered or referred to as a “testimonial“), be sure to include more than just “Dr. X is great doctor!!!!!” — explain why you feel they’re a great doctor, or what they did to make you feel that way.
• Alternatively, if you’re submitting a not-so-positive review, refrain from making personal attacks or cast aspersions. Instead, offer someconstructive criticism based on your own experience that can help the doctor or office improve the next patient’s experience.Remember: Resorting to name-calling and making allegations that can’t be proven will probably be a waste of your time, as doing so will often prevent your review from being published, depending on the policies or screening process of website you’re submitting to.

Some Final Notes & Pointers

• Personal anecdotes can be very helpful: Prospective patients that are likely to come acrossyour review are usually searching for personal anecdotes or experiences from othersthat will help themdecide whether or not that doctor seems to be a good fit. While the doctor having a “nice office” is good to know, other details that are less obvious may be more helpful.

  For example, if you require wheelchair access and the office has a well-kept ramp and spacious, accommodating waiting room, make mention of it. Similarly, if you’re a new mother and there’s a changing station in the bathroom, consider mentioning that in your review.

  See Also

  Dealing effectively with critical feedback as a doctor

• Don’t use swear words or inappropriate language!Including curse words or other inflammatory language will only get you filtered, and your review won’t be published (and it will have been a waste of your time, unfortunately).
• Leave outpersonally-identifiable information. You can maintain your anonymity while still offering value to other potential patients.
• Cool offbefore you submit a negative review. If you’ve had a sub-par experience and wishto provide feedback in the form of an online review, take a day or two to cool downbefore you submit. This is better for all parties involved, as it will help you write a more useful review, filled with constructive criticism —as opposed to simply venting your frustrations.
• Remember: Anything published on the internet has the potential to either stay published, or be publicly available, forever —even if the site shuts down, dueto mirror sites and the internet archive— so make sure you’re comfortable with what you’re submitting! You can rarely take things back once they’ve been published.

An example of a very creative review…

Below, see a screenshot of a review forDr. Gordon Tang, a neurosurgeon in Berkeley, California — it’s one of our favorites.The patienttook the time to write and submitthis review to the tune of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”

While this isn’t the most “helpful” review when it comes to anecdotal value, it’s by farone of the most creative we’ve ever received (and published). The fact that a patient was inspired to come up with such a creative way of reviewing the doctor tells usthey must have had a really positive experience withthe doctor.