Can You Remove Google Reviews? A Guide for Singapore Clinics

When Google will remove a review

Google removes reviews that break its policies for user-contributed content. The categories most relevant to clinics are:

• Fake or spam reviews: posted by someone who wasn't a patient, by competitors or former staff, or the same review repeated across accounts.
• Conflicts of interest: reviews by people connected to your clinic or a competitor.
• Off-topic reviews: complaints about something that isn't your clinic, such as building car-park charges or a pharmacy downstairs.
• Harassment, hate speech and personal attacks on doctors or staff.
• Personal or private information, including another person's health details.

Google won't remove a review just because it's negative or unfair in your view. A genuine patient describing a genuine experience is allowed to be critical.

How to report a review

1. From Google Maps or Search: find your clinic, open Reviews, click the three-dot menu on the review and choose Report review. Pick the policy it breaks.
2. From Google Business Profile: if you manage the profile, report reviews from the Reviews section of your profile.
3. Check and appeal: Google's Reviews Management Tool shows the status of reviews you've reported and lets you appeal a decision once.

Decisions can take from a few days to several weeks. Report with the specific policy the review breaks and any evidence you have, such as no appointment matching the reviewer.

How to reply without breaching confidentiality

Whether or not a review can be removed, reply to it. How you reply matters more for a clinic than for most businesses.

• Never confirm the reviewer was a patient, and never mention a condition, treatment or visit, even if the reviewer has. Doing so can breach patient confidentiality under the SMC Ethical Code and personal data obligations under the PDPA.
• Keep it general: thank them, say you take feedback seriously, and invite them to contact the clinic directly with a phone number or email.
• Stay factual and calm. Future patients read your replies as much as the reviews.

A reply such as: "Thank you for your feedback. We'd like to understand more. Please contact our clinic manager at [phone] so we can look into this with you." works for almost any review.

Can you use your good reviews in marketing?

Not if you're a licensed clinic. Singapore's Healthcare Services (Advertisement) Regulations 2021 prohibit licensees from using testimonials and reviews, including star ratings, in their advertising. That covers your website, ads and social posts. Reviews that patients leave on Google themselves are fine; copying them onto your own site or ads is not.

So encourage reviews on Google, reply to them well, and let them stay there.

What if a review is defamatory?

If a review makes false statements of fact that damage your clinic's reputation and Google won't remove it, speak to a lawyer. Singapore has defamation law and the Protection from Harassment Act, but legal action is slow and can draw more attention to the review. Most clinics are better served by a good reply and a steady flow of genuine reviews.