How to properly email patients for reviews and feedback

It’s more effective to ask a patient to leave feedback directly after their appointment. You won’t have to worry about remembering how to get patient reviews afterwards. But be honest with yourself. If you or your staff are not reliably asking for patient reviews in person, you should try something else. Plus, you can always supplement your in-person feedback requests with an e-mail reminder just in case you missed a few.

An e-mail script for asking for patient reviews

You want it to be casual and short. If the email is longer than 2-3 sentences, your survey participation will drop. Be careful not to acknowledge any dates where you provided care. Avoid phrases like “we have enjoyed caring for you” or “we value you as a patient”. These phrases acknowledge a patient-physician relationship and increase your risk of a HIPAA violation. It is best to say thanks, ask for feedback and then provide a link to the feedback form:

Thanks for stopping by! We have valued our relationship and I hope that you have found us to be accommodating and helpful to you. Would you mind taking just 45 seconds to leave some feedback about our practice here [insert link]. Thank you!

Precautions for e-mailing patient feedback requests

Ensure that you have informed consent from patients on file about the risks of electronic communication. In the signature of your e-mail, also include a disclaimer that explains the risks inherent in e-mail.

Sample e-mail signature disclaimer:

Please know that communications via email over the internet are not secure. Although it is unlikely, there is a possibility that information you include in an email can be intercepted or read by other parties besides the person to whom it is addressed. Please do not include personal identifying information such as your birth date, address or personal medical information in any emails you send to us. No one can diagnose your condition from email or other written communications and such communications cannot replace the relationship you have with a physician or another healthcare practitioner.

Gathering authorization to e-mail patient feedback requests

If you will be using a patient’s e-mail address, make sure your Notice of Privacy Practices covers it. We would recommend having all patients sign this updated document before their appointment. Alternatively, you can create a smaller Informed Consent form for this provision exclusively.

Finally, ensure a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) is on file with any vendors you use.

Sending e-mails to get patient reviews

E-mails asking for patient feedback can be sent automatically after the patient’s appointment with a vendor’s help. Alternatively, your office can e-mail a feedback request at the end of the day to everyone on the schedule. If you are opting to go the manual route, just enter all patient e-mail addresses into the BCC line. Many practice management systems also include a built-in messaging feature.

Rewarding patients for honest feedback

Patients can be incentivized to leave honest feedback in several ways. Offering to donate a fixed amount of money to a charity in exchange for a patient review is a great way to increase compliance and help a good cause.

In lieu of a donation to a charity, you can offer other incentives for patients to leave honest feedback. Depending on your specialty, you can enter people into a raffle entry, provide a discount for their owed out-of-pocket, or provide a vending token or coupon. Check with your medical association to ensure that you abide by their ethical code of conduct.

If you decide to incentivize patients, be sure that the request is made in an unbiased and ethical manner. Ask only for honest feedback, not a good review, and ensure that every patient that leaves feedback in this manner receives the same treatment. Finally, thank every patient for leaving a review.

Read More from this Series

• Why asking for patient feedback is important
• How to ask patients for reviews in person

_{About the Author}

_{Jon founded meddkit.com to help private healthcare businesses get more consistent appointment, improve their web presence, and reduce technology stress. Jon is a certified Project Management Professional and has spent a decade helping healthcare providers with technology. Jon lives near Philadelphia, PA and is an avid reader, outdoorsman, and tech geek.}