The library · Health clinics · Reviews and reputation

Reply to a bad review

The clinic cannot defend itself with the facts, because the facts are in a patient record. A short, calm reply that points to the complaints route is usually all that can be said.

The prompt
I work in marketing at a private health clinic. Help me reply to a negative review calmly.

Context: The clinic cannot defend itself with the facts, because the facts are in a patient record. A short, calm reply that points to the complaints route is usually all that can be said.

Before you start, ask me for anything missing from this list:
- The review
- What we know about what happened
- Our complaints process

Then:
1. Acknowledge the experience without arguing the facts.
2. Say nothing that confirms or reveals details about the person.
3. Offer a named contact and a private route.

Give me:
- The public reply, under 80 words
- A private follow-up message
- Notes for whoever handles the complaint

Rules:
- Use only the facts I give you. Where something is missing, write [detail needed]. Never invent a number, a name, a quote or a source.
- Give general health information only. Never write anything that reads as advice on a person's own condition, and never suggest a treatment is certain to work or free of risk.
- Write in plain English, in our voice if I have given you a sample.
- Do not tell me what the rules or regulations say. If something may be restricted, flag it and I will check.

Finish with a list headed "Check before this goes out". Include these, plus anything else our clinical lead or the registered manager who approves marketing should see:
- That nothing confirms or denies the person was a patient
- The complaints procedure, quoted as written
- The clinical lead's approval before posting

Paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. It will ask you for what it needs.

Check before this goes out

  • That nothing confirms or denies the person was a patient
  • The complaints procedure, quoted as written
  • The clinical lead's approval before posting

The prompt gives you a first draft. Someone qualified still approves anything a client will read.

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