Using Patient Testimonials in Your Marketing (Without Breaking HIPAA)

We talk often about how no one comes to functional medicine without a story, and your patients are no exception. By using patient testimonials in your marketing, you can share how effective your treatments are-without saying it yourself! It also creates a growing sense of community within your practice.

What to Include in a Patient Testimonial

A patient spotlight can be long or short, though we recommend keeping it fairly short so people stay engaged. Details wise, be sure to include their story, how long they’ve been a patient, and why they enjoy working with you. That third point is key! You want them to share why they find value in working with you so you can stand out.

Where to Share Patient Testimonial

In short, everywhere! Patient testimonials are a great asset for your:

• Social media

• Website

• Email newsletters

On social media, you can create a quote image using a program like Canva with one to two sentences of their testimonial. Then, include their entire testimonial in the caption.

Your website and email newsletters can operate similarly. Include a photo if possible, but otherwise, stick to text.

Now for the important piece: HIPAA compliance.

HIPAA-Safe Patient Testimonials

In order to comply with HIPAA, you need two things in place: permission from the patient and a signed waiver. The first is easy. If patients are interested, use a Google Form to easily collect their submissions. With their permission, you’re covered to share their information, but be careful to only share as much as they’re willing.

A Google Form helps delineate between what you know about their case (everything) with what they’re willing to share publicly. We recommend only using their first name in all testimonials.

The second is a waiver. This legally protects you while sharing patient testimonials. While there are examples online that you can use, we always recommend checking with an attorney to ensure you’re fully protected.

Once you begin collecting these testimonials, the fun part begins: sharing these stories of healing and growth with potential patients. It’s more than a sales pitch. It’s showing them what’s possible so that more people experience the healing potential of functional medicine.