4 minutes
For a long time, a doctor's reputation was built mainly through word of mouth. Recommendations between loved ones, patient trust, and the quality of care were generally enough to build a patient base.
Today, this reality has profoundly changed.
Even before making an appointment, many patients now look up information on the Internet. They consult the practice's Google Business Profile, reviews left by other patients, the practitioner's website, or info available on various platforms.
This trend has become massive. According to URPS Bretagne, nearly 8 out of 10 patients consult online reviews before choosing a healthcare professional, and 75% say they are more attracted to a doctor who has online reviews than a practitioner who has none. (1)
E-reputation has thus become an integral part of the patient experience.
However, this development raises many questions. Do online reviews really reflect the quality of care? How should one respond to a negative review? How can you protect your digital image in the long term?
In this article, we take a look at what medical e-reputation actually is, why it has become a major challenge, and what the best practices are for preserving it.
What is a doctor's e-reputation?
E-reputation refers to the image that a professional projects on the Internet (2) (6)
For a doctor, it is not limited to a simple rating on Google. It is the result of all the information accessible online, including:
ratings and reviews published on the Google listing;
comments left on various platforms;
the practice's website;
press or blog articles;
or even professional social networks.
In other words, e-reputation often corresponds to the first impression a future patient gets even before they have met their doctor.
It contributes directly to establishing, or not, a relationship of trust.
Why has e-reputation become so important?
The Internet has now become a reflex when searching for a healthcare professional.
Whether moving house, changing primary care doctor, or searching for a specialist, search engines are now an almost systematic step.
This trend particularly affects new patients, who do not yet benefit from word of mouth or personal recommendations (3)
E-reputation thus influences:
the decision to book an appointment;
confidence before the first consultation;
the overall image of the medical practice;
patient loyalty.
It has gradually become a real asset for the medical practice.
The phenomenon is accelerating rapidly. The MACSF indicates that it handled seven times more cases related to e-reputation in 2024 than in 2020, with a majority concerning general practitioners (521 cases), followed by dermatologists (71 cases) and ophthalmologists (35 cases). The digital image of healthcare professionals has therefore become a tangible daily management issue. (4)
Do reviews actually reflect the quality of care?
Contrary to what one might think, patient reviews rarely assess the medical quality of care. They do not generally have the necessary knowledge to judge a diagnosis or a therapeutic strategy.
On the other hand, they find it very easy to evaluate their experience.
A patient will particularly remember:
the time it took to get the appointment;
the time spent in the waiting room;
the quality of the reception;
the ease of contacting the practice;
the feeling of having been listened to;
the clarity of the explanations;
the time dedicated during the consultation.
In other words, reviews often focus more on the experience itself than on the medical act.
Two highly skilled doctors can thus get very different ratings simply because their organisation or communication differ.
Why do patients leave negative reviews?
In most cases, the reasons for dissatisfaction are more organizational than medical.
⏱️ Long waiting times
Repeated delays remain one of the primary causes of negative reviews.
Even when they are related to perfectly legitimate medical emergencies, they can generate misunderstanding if they are not explained.
💬 A lack of explanations
A relevant diagnosis can be poorly received if the patient leaves with the feeling of not having understood their situation or their treatment.
Listening, education, and the time dedicated to explanations play a major role in satisfaction.
💻 A consultation too focused on the computer
Doctors today have to manage an increasing amount of administrative and documentation tasks.
When their attention seems more focused on the electronic file than on the patient, the patient may feel they are not being sufficiently listened to.
📅 Difficulties in accessing care
Appointment wait times, difficulty reaching the practice, postponements or schedule changes can also degrade the overall experience and influence published reviews.
How to improve and sustainably preserve your e-reputation?
The best strategy does not consist of artificially seeking more positive reviews.
It consists of sustainably improving the experience of patients and managing your digital presence.
📍 Claim your Google listing
Many doctors are unaware that their Google listing already exists, having been created automatically by Google.
Claiming it allows you, among other things, to:
correct opening hours and contact details;
add photos of the practice;
reply to reviews;
report inappropriate content.
A complete and regularly updated listing inspires greater trust (5)
🔎 Set up regular monitoring
The National Council of the College of Physicians (CNOM) recommends regularly monitoring your digital image by searching for your name on the main search engines, review platforms, and social media. A simple monthly search often allows you to quickly detect incorrect information or a problematic review. (6)
💬 Reply to reviews professionally
Replying to a negative review is never an obligation.
When a professional chooses to reply, the CNOM recommends:
thanking the patient for their feedback;
acknowledging their feelings;
remaining polite and factual;
offering a private discussion when relevant.
On the other hand, one rule is absolute: never disclose information covered by medical secrecy, even if the patient themselves mentions their medical care.
⚖️ Know how to distinguish criticism from defamation
Not all criticisms are illegal.
However, insults, defamatory or discriminatory remarks, or those violating privacy can be reported or even lead to legal action.
The guide from the National Council of the College of Physicians points out in particular that certain procedures relating to insults or defamation must be initiated within a period of three months after the publication of the remarks. (6)
🌐 Develop a positive digital presence
The best protection often remains building a quality digital presence.
This includes, in particular:
a complete Google listing;
a professional website;
up-to-date information;
educational content intended for patients.
The goal is for the first visible information when a patient searches for your name to be reliable, useful, and controlled. (5) (6) (7)
A good e-reputation often begins before the consultation
A patient's satisfaction does not start when they enter the practice.
It begins as soon as the appointment is booked and is built throughout their healthcare journey.
When the doctor already has structured information before the consultation, quickly understands the reason for the visit, and can dedicate more time to clinical discussion, the experience is generally smoother, both for the patient and for the professional.
This is the reasoning behind the new digital medical assistants.
At Aldebaran, we are convinced that improving a practice's e-reputation is not just about responding to reviews, but first and foremost about improving the patient experience.
Our digital medical assistant thus accompanies the patient before their appointment to collect, structure, and summarise information useful for the consultation. The doctor can then devote more time to dialogue, explanations, and medical decision-making.
The goal is not to replace the practice teams, but to complement them by intervening in a stage that is still poorly structured: the pre-consultation.
Conclusion
A doctor's e-reputation has become an unavoidable challenge.
While reviews published online do not always reflect the medical quality of care, they often reflect the quality of the experience lived by patients.
Preserving one's e-reputation is therefore not about seeking more positive reviews. It is above all about sustainably improving the practice's organisation, communication with patients, and their care pathway.
As digital tools evolve, this experience now begins long before the consultation itself. This is probably where the most significant room for improvement lies for the coming years.
(1) URPS Médecins Libéraux Bretagne. Introduction to the e-reputation of the liberal doctor and surgeon. Updated in 2025.
(2) URPS Médecins Libéraux Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Medical e-reputation. 2025.
(3) IFOP / Guest Suite. Study on the influence of customer reviews on the purchasing habits of French people. 2026.
(4) MACSF. The healthcare professional's e-reputation.
(5) Google. Understanding policies on contributions and reviews on Google. Official documentation.
(6) French National Medical Council (CNOM). Practical guide – Preserving your digital reputation. 2018, PDF provided by the CNOM.
(7) Google. Manage your Business Profile on Google. Official documentation.
