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Many healthcare providers are hesitant to adopt AI, and rightly so. In Tebra’s 2025 survey on AI adoption, only 32% of providers were comfortable with AI tracking patient reviews.
This hesitation is understandable, but it creates a challenge. Responding to online reviews is crucial for patient acquisition and retention; consumers are 41% more likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews, according to BrightLocal. So how can practices save time with AI without risking a HIPAA violation?
Tebra addresses this head on by offering fully compliant, AI-powered reputation management features:
- AI Review Replies generates HIPAA-compliant responses in seconds so you can acknowledge every patient’s review.
- AI Review Insights analyzes feedback across platforms to surface trends and themes around wait times, scheduling, staff, communication, and care.
These features help your team respond faster and uncover areas for improvement without the manual effort. All of this means more time saved, better patient engagement, and an improved online reputation.
| Learn more about the Tebra AI Smart Staff and how Tebra's AI tools can give your practice a competitive advantage. |
What makes a response HIPAA-compliant?
A compliant response never confirms whether someone is a patient, even if the reviewer says they are. It also avoids using the provider’s name or including any protected health information (PHI), such as diagnoses, treatments, or visit details. Instead, responses should be respectful, concise, and general — acknowledging the feedback without disclosing anything private.
Non-HIPAA-compliant examples:
- “Thank you, Melissa! We’re pleased that Dr. Phelps helped you with your ankle sprain and you’re recovering well.”
- “Hi Malcolm, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have a great experience during your recent visit with Dr. Phelps. Could you tell us how long you waited in the exam room so we can look into this further?”
Why these replies are non-compliant: They confirm patient status, include the provider’s name, and reference treatment or specific details of patients’ experience.
HIPAA-compliant examples:
- “Thank you! Our team strives to be prompt and helpful, and we appreciate your feedback.”
- “Thank you for sharing your feedback. While I can’t discuss details due to privacy regulations, our office manager would be happy to speak with you. Please call us at [phone number] and ask for them directly.”
Why these replies are compliant: They are kind, concise, and most importantly anonymous.
| Non-HIPAA-compliant examples | HIPAA-compliant responses |
| Thank you, Melissa! We’re pleased that Dr. Phelps helped you with your ankle sprain and you’re recovering well. | Thank you! Our team strives to be prompt and helpful, and we appreciate your feedback. |
| Hi Malcolm, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have a great experience during your recent visit with Dr. Phelps. Could you tell us how long you waited in the exam room so we can look into this further? | Thank you for sharing your feedback. While I can’t discuss details due to privacy regulations, our office manager would be happy to speak with you. Please call us at [phone number] and ask for [name] directly. |
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How Tebra’s AI review tools are built for compliance
Tebra’s AI tools are designed and trained on healthcare compliance rules. AI Review Replies generates sentiment-based responses for a personal touch, but they are always HIPAA-compliant out of the box and avoid using sensitive patient information.
Importantly, every AI-generated reply can be customized before posting. This gives your practice full control and flexibility to edit without the burden of writing every response from scratch. The result is more time back to you and your team, freeing you up to focus on patient care.
Practical tips for using AI Review Replies safely
Even with built-in safeguards, it’s wise to establish ground rules so everyone on your team responds to patient reviews consistently and safely:
- Review before you post. A quick check ensures that the AI-generated reply has the right tone and is accurate.
- Keep it general. Never include PHI. Avoid all personal details about visits, treatments, or health status.
- Educate your team. Create and share a documented policy for responding to online reviews.
- Always be professional. When in doubt, stick with short, respectful language that acknowledges the feedback without confirming details.
By keeping these rules in mind, you can safeguard compliance and maximize the value of AI-powered replies.
A smarter, safer way to engage with patients
Using AI-assisted tools with built-in guardrails and guidelines is the most efficient way to manage your online reputation while maintaining compliance. Tebra’s tools allow you to:
- Reply quickly, no matter how many reviews you get. Generate tailored, sentiment-based responses in seconds instead of spending your time drafting a new message every time.
- Avoid errors from rushed manual responses. Our built-in compliance helps your practice ensure your replies are accurate and safe.
- Monitor trends without combing through each review. Spot common themes in patient feedback at a glance to improve the patient experience.
The result is two-fold: better patient engagement and better reputation. AI tools are not about removing human judgement and discernment, but saving time and reducing administrative burdens, so your team can focus more energy on delivering excellent care.
Looking for a smarter way to handle patient reviews? Schedule a free Tebra demo to see firsthand how AI can speed up your workflows.
Learn more about AI for your private practice:
- How much time could AI save your practice?: Use this free workbook to calculate your time savings with AI.
- Measuring trust in healthcare and what patients value most: Explore patient preferences from state rankings to AI adoption.
- Meet Tebra’s AI Note Assist: Document twice as fast without leaving the EHR you already use every day.
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