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Google Reviews:

What are patients
saying about your
dispensing practice?

Why online reputation matters, even in a rural, relationship-based world.
When you’re running a dispensing practice, your focus is where it should be on providing joined-
up clinical and medication services to patients who may not have another option nearby. In rural
settings, you often fill multiple roles, streamlining care and removing barriers for patients who
might otherwise struggle to access treatment or prescriptions.
But while your model brings huge benefits to local communities, there’s one often overlooked
element influencing how patients perceive your practice, an area that can often fill practice staff
with dread: Google Reviews.

You might not ask for feedback but it’s
already out there
Whether you’ve claimed your Google Business looking up directions or phone numbers, could
profile or not, your practice likely already quickly form an impression based on just a
appears in local search results. Patients handful of comments and star ratings.
can—and do—leave reviews without any For practices delivering both medical care and
prompting, often when emotions are running medications, this public perception carries
high. Unfortunately, that usually means extra weight. Patients aren’t just trusting you
negative experiences get more airtime than with clinical treatment, they’re also relying on
positive ones. you to provide and explain their medication.
It might not seem fair, but the reality is that That dual responsibility makes it even
online reviews can quietly influence patient more important that your reputation, both
decisions. Someone new to the area, or simply offline and online, reflects the quality of
care you offer.

Why it matters more for dispensing practices
Unlike non-dispensing surgeries, your team manages everything
from prescribing to supply, patient advice to medication safety.
That means more opportunities for positive interaction — but also
more touchpoints where things can go wrong or be misunderstood.
Even a minor issue, like a delay in stock availability or a
miscommunication about dosage, can prompt a review that
paints your service in a less-than-favourable light. And because
dispensing comes with extra costs and operational complexity, it’s
all the more important to ensure your efforts are understood and
appreciated by the wider patient base.

16 PS Magazine | Google reviews Buy direct online at PSUK.co.uk

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