“I put my brand everywhere—from the front desk when you walk in, to the cup we give them at preop, to my business cards, to the intake forms. Everything we do, we want our patients to have the feeling of being cared for,” she said.
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November 2021Even if social media isn’t necessarily your thing, and it isn’t for everyone, you still need to
have a presence. You do have to show that you’re active in the community and on top of what’s going on in the world. —Angela Sturm, MD
Physicians who want to do branding right should create a consistent patient experience with a similar look and feel through every interaction, from the website to social media to the business cards and staff uniforms.
Reviews are essentially online word of mouth, said Dr. Sturm, and happy patients should be encouraged to review. Negative reviews will be unavoidable but, when things are done right, they will be overwhelmed by the positive reviews.
Dr. Sturm encouraged those who might be reluctant about having an online presence to do it anyway. “Even if social media isn’t necessarily your thing, and it isn’t for everyone, you still need to have a presence,” she said. “You do have to show that you’re active in the community and on top of what’s going on in the world.”
Handling Negative Reviews
Eventually, bad reviews will appear online. How a physician handles them can determine whether his or her reputation will take a real hit.
Aaron Minc, Esq, a Cleveland-based lawyer who specializes in protecting online reputations, said the first step should be to call the patient promptly.
“Listen, don’t talk. Don’t get defensive, don’t use insults, and don’t make excuses. Don’t take things personally, and be prepared to apologize and provide an appropriate remedy. Speed is key; reaching out within 24 hours of the negative posting is critical. Avoid putting things in writing—it’s less personal and can lead to things being misconstrued, making a bad situation even worse.”
Because of ethics rules and HIPAA, physicians are extremely limited in what they’re allowed to say online; even saying a patient’s name confirms that they’re a patient and is problematic. “I get it; it isn’t fair,” said Minc. “But just because a patient talks about their treatments online, it doesn’t provide permission for a physician to be able to respond publicly. Given how restrictive regulations are, my advice is that physicians shouldn’t publicly respond to online reviews at all.”