How psychiatrists should respond to negative reviews

Negative reviews can be a stressful situation for any medical professional. Reviews often drive psychiatrists to want to clarify or defend their practice and reputation. Unlike other professions, however, psychiatrists face limitations from ethical and privacy considerations. 

Ethical principles to consider

• Confidentiality: Psychiatrists are morally and legally required to protect privacy. 
• Patient autonomy: Patients have the right to voice their experiences without pressure from psychiatrists to change their reviews.
• Nonexploitation: Psychiatrists should avoid using therapist-patient relationships for personal benefit. 
• Integrity: Psychiatrists must not create or encourage misleading, anonymous, or false reviews.
• Constructive reflection: Feedback, even the negative kind, should be a prompt for self-reflection and opportunity for improvement of patient care.

How to handle patient reviews

An APA resource document stated the “physician-patient relationship is the cornerstone of psychiatric practice, and its goal is to promote patient health and well-being, embodying the key ethical considerations of respect for persons, fairness, and beneficence.” The handling of all reviews requires a balance between confidentiality and reflection. The APA provides the following advice: 

• Avoid any public response that could disclose or imply patient information. HIPAA also prevents the acknowledgment of specific patient relationships without explicit consent. 
• Consider posting a general response to negative reviews that express commitment to patients and encourage patients to contact the organizations directly with concerns. 
• Recognize that patient reviews are typically protected under the First Amendment. Only remove reviews if they contain false statements of fact.  
• Provide internal channels for patients to share feedback like anonymous surveys or a suggestion box. 
• Set up clear, noncoercive ways for patients to review services like information in the waiting room or links sent through HIPAA compliant email for review platforms. 
• Maintain professional integrity by not posting fake reviews or encouraging others to post pseudonymous anonymous content that could be misleading. 

Related: The role of ethics committees

Improving patient relationships using HIPAA compliant email

Email allows psychiatrists to communicate with their psychiatrists beyond the confines of scheduled appointments as an avenue for non-urgent matters. 

A recent Health Communication study states, “Medical communication should respect and respond to patients’ preferences, needs, and values, which guide all medical decisions.” Through guidance, psychiatric patients can benefit from the reinforcement of self-management strategies. 

Related: HIPAA Compliant Email for Mental Health Professionals

FAQs

Is it appropriate for psychiatrists to solicit anonymous reviews? 

Ethical guidelines deter psychiatrists from soliciting anonymous reviews.

Is requesting reviews from patients considered marketing?

Yes, it can be considered marketing if used to attract new patients. 

Is consent necessary to share patient reviews?

Yes, a psychiatrist must obtain consent before sharing patient reviews, something that is especially true if the reviews contain identifiable or personal information.