Google reviews: how to get them, how to reply, and why they matter

Before booking, the patient "googles" you. And the first thing they look at is the reviews. Recent surveys converge: around 72 to 84% of patients read online reviews before choosing a practitioner, and a large majority rule out from the start anyone rated under four stars. Yet many practices endure their reviews instead of steering them. This guide explains why they matter so much, how to obtain honest ones, how to reply without breaching medical confidentiality, and what to do about an unfair review.

1. Why reviews carry so much weight

Two effects add up:

• Patient trust. A review is the modern equivalent of word of mouth. The patient often reads several reviews before deciding, and pays attention both to the rating and to how the practice replies.
• Local SEO. Google takes into account the number of reviews, the rating, but also their freshness and regularity. A practice receiving a few reviews each month stands out better in the "local pack" (the three results shown on the map) than one frozen on old reviews.

2. What rating, how many reviews to aim for?

There is no magic threshold, but a few useful benchmarks:

• The rating. An average between 4.2 and 4.8 is ideal. Paradoxically, a perfect 5.0 on very few reviews sometimes inspires less trust than a 4.6 on many: "too perfect" arouses suspicion. A few lukewarm reviews among good ones make the whole credible.
• The number. The more you have, the more solid the rating and the harder it is for an isolated review to move it. It is also a sign of vitality for Google.
• Regularity. A steady flow (a few reviews a month) beats a big peak followed by silence. Freshness counts.

In other words: aim for volume over time rather than the perfect rating at all costs.

3. How to obtain honest reviews

• Simply ask. Most satisfied patients do not think to leave a review spontaneously. A request at the right moment (at the end of a consultation that went well) is often enough.
• Make it easy. A direct link or a QR code at reception reduce friction. The simpler it is, the more reviews you receive. A QR code at reception or on the invoice is one of the most effective methods.
• Choose the right moment. Just after the treatment, while satisfaction is fresh, rather than weeks later.
• Aim for regularity, not the peak. Build the request into your routine rather than making it a one-off operation.

4. How to reply to reviews (the delicate point in medicine)

Replying to reviews, positive and negative alike, shows a living, attentive practice. But in medicine, one rule overrides everything:

Never confirm that someone is a patient, nor mention the slightest detail of their situation, even to defend yourself. Medical confidentiality (art. 321 of the Swiss Criminal Code) also applies in a public reply. Replying "You came in for such-and-such treatment and…" is a breach, even if the review is unfair.

Replying to a positive review

A simple thank-you, brief and warm, is enough. No need to overdo it or cite details. For example: "Thank you for your feedback; the whole team is grateful for your trust."

Replying to a negative review

Stay calm, measured, and reveal nothing. A template reply:

"We take your feedback seriously. Out of respect for medical confidentiality, we cannot comment on an individual situation here. We invite you to contact us directly to discuss it."

A negative review handled calmly often reassures more than a page of perfect reviews: it shows how you react when something goes wrong. The tone of your reply is read by all future patients, far more than the review itself.

5. Positive and negative reviews: the right and the wrong reply

Situation	Right reply	To avoid
Positive review	Brief, warm thank-you, no details	Overdoing it, citing the reason for the visit
Justified negative review	Acknowledge, offer to continue in private	Justifying yourself publicly, revealing the situation
Unfair negative review	Measured reply, point to a direct contact	Arguing, confirming the person is a patient
Clearly fake review	Report to Google + a measured reply	Reacting in the heat of the moment, deleting your profile out of spite

6. And unfair or fake reviews?

You can report to Google any review that breaks its rules (defamatory, off-topic, clearly fake or from a competitor). Google does not remove them all, and the delay can be long, but a measured reply combined with a steady flow of honest reviews naturally dilutes an isolated one. Never delete your profile out of spite: you would lose all your history. The best protection against a bad review is to have many genuine, recent ones.

Frequently asked questions

Can I offer a discount in exchange for a review?

No. Exchanging a review for an advantage (discount, gift, prize draw) is forbidden by Google and can lead to the removal of your profile. Ask honestly, with no strings attached.

Should I reply to every review?

Ideally yes, at least to the negative ones and a good share of the positive ones. Replying shows an attentive practice. But a reply is better short and right than long and clumsy.

Can a patient mention their treatment in their review?

Yes, the patient is free to recount their experience: medical confidentiality binds the practitioner, not the patient. You, on the other hand, must confirm nothing and add nothing in your reply.

How do I handle a one-star review with no comment?

You can reply politely, inviting the person to contact you to understand, without assuming anything. A review with no text also carries less weight than a detailed one in the eyes of other readers.

Do reviews on other platforms count too?

Google remains the most visible and the most important for local SEO. But consistent reviews elsewhere (medical directories, for instance) reinforce the overall image. Focus most of the effort on Google.

The bottom line

Reviews are not something you endure, they are something you cultivate, honestly and over time. Set up a simple routine: an easy way to ask for a review (link or QR code), a habit of replying to all of them, and an occasional check. The practice that simply asks, makes it easy, replies with care and respects medical confidentiality builds a solid reputation that works for it on Google as much as in patients' minds.

Sources

• rater8 · How Patients Choose Their Doctors (survey, December 2024) · 84% of patients read online reviews before choosing a practitioner.
• TechTarget · 72% of Patients View Online Reviews When Selecting a New Provider.