Patient reviews for chiropractors, physios and med spas: asking and replying safely
Clinics get more reviews by asking every patient after a visit, with a direct link and nothing in return. The risk is in the reply: never confirm someone is a patient or mention their treatment. In 2022 a US dental practice paid $23,000 to settle a case over details it revealed while replying to reviews.
Ask every patient, at the right point
- Ask after a visit where the patient felt better or got a result, such as the end of a course of treatment, or after a few sessions for ongoing care.
- Send a text or email with your direct Google review link, and keep a QR code at reception for patients who'd rather do it there.
- Ask every patient the same way. Only asking those you think are happy is review gating, which Google doesn't allow.
- Never offer a discount, free session or prize draw for a review, and don't suggest what to write or which practitioner to name.
of US consumers only consider reviews written in the last three months.
expect owners to respond to reviews.
Reply without revealing anything
In December 2022, the US Department of Health and Human Services settled with a California dental practice that had revealed patients' names, treatment and insurance details while replying to online reviews. The practice paid $23,000 and agreed to two years of monitoring. HHS said providers “cannot disclose protected health information of their patients when responding to negative online reviews”.
The same applies to chiropractors, physios and medical aesthetics clinics. Even saying “we're sorry your back still hurts after your adjustment” confirms the person is a patient and describes their care. UK practitioners have the same duty of confidentiality to patients.
Thank you for your feedback. We can't discuss anyone's care in public, but we take every concern seriously and would like to talk. Please call our practice manager on [number].
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. We really appreciate it.
Med spas: photos and claims
- Get the patient's written consent before using before-and-after photos on your Google profile or website, and show real, typical results.
- Don't post photos of identifiable patients without that consent, even if they're tagged by the patient elsewhere.
- Fake or bought reviews are illegal in the US and UK. The FTC's rule and the UK's DMCC Act both ban them, and they put a whole profile at risk.
Your Google profile
- Primary category: the most specific that's true, such as chiropractor, physiotherapist or medical spa.
- Services: each treatment, from sports massage to skin treatments, in the words patients search for.
- A booking link so patients can book straight from Google.
- Practitioners who see patients can have their own profiles under Google's guidelines, which helps patients searching by name.
Sources
- US HHS: Settlement with dental practice over disclosures in online review replies (Dec 2022)
- BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (1,002 US consumers)
- FTC rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, summarised by Morgan Lewis
- UK DMCC Act fake review rules, summarised by CMS
- Google: Guidelines for representing your business on Google
- Google Maps: Prohibited and restricted content
Citing these figures? Please link to this page. If you spot a figure that's out of date, email hello@flexilocal.com.
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