AutoPoint Scaling · 12 November 2026 · 2 min read
Reviews can help a new patient understand a practice, but an invitation should leave the patient in control. The goal is to make honest feedback easy to give, not to engineer a particular rating.
Ask without steering the answer
Google permits requests for reviews based on genuine experiences. Its policies prohibit incentives and selectively asking for positive reviews. That means the invitation process should not depend on whether someone first tells you they are happy.
Keep the message short, voluntary and neutral. Do not offer a discount, gift or special treatment for leaving a review. Avoid asking a patient to include a clinician’s name, a treatment or a set phrase.
Choose an appropriate moment
Think about how the message will feel from the patient’s perspective. A request should not interrupt care or create an expectation that a review must be completed at reception. Give patients space to respond when they choose.
Keep clinical details out of the message
A review invitation does not need to describe why the person attended or what happened in the appointment. Use a process approved by your practice and only the contact information necessary for that process.
Respond carefully in public
When you reply, remember that anyone can read the response. A patient may choose to share details about themselves, but your practice does not need to repeat or expand on them. Keep acknowledgements general and direct individual concerns to a suitable private contact route.
Before posting, ask whether the response would still be appropriate if the reviewer had used a nickname and a stranger were reading it.
Separate feedback from problem resolution
Make it easy for people to contact the practice about an issue. That private channel can exist alongside an honest review invitation; it should not be used to prevent unhappy patients from reviewing publicly.
Google’s rules do not replace the professional and privacy obligations that apply to your practice. Have your responsible person approve the process and seek qualified advice where needed.
Reference: Google Maps user-contributed content policies. Reviewed 12 November 2026.