Don't Over-React. Trust in Reputation Management.

As the saying goes, people remember insults not compliments. With this in mind reputation management for doctors can at times require the ability to take a deep breath and walk away.

A couple of years ago a patient's son wrote a scathing review of the neurologist who treated his father. The doctor sued for defamation of character. Legally speaking this was a good move as the posting was removed pending the outcome of the case. In terms of public relations it was a total nightmare. When the online community found out about the lawsuit they laid into the neurologist posting a stream of negative reviews. You can read about the lawsuit and backlash here.

Most of the negative reviews were fabricated, but it just goes to show that cutting the head off the snake is not always the best defense. If you encounter a bad review, no matter how outlandish, the best thing to do is step back and breathe. Don't reply with an angry rant or witty retort. Give yourself time to gain perspective. A lawyer's primary concern is whether or not a case is winnable. Your reputation management partner's primary concern is insuring that you have an excellent online reputation.

Who would rather trust with an explosive situation such as this?