Written by the Removal Lab team.
Three new ratings appeared on your RateMDs profile overnight. All one star. None of the names match your patient list. Is there anything you can do? Yes. RateMDs review removal is possible when a rating breaks the RateMDs Terms of Use, such as spam, hearsay or a rating with no personal medical experience behind it. Removal Lab checks your rating against those rules for free and replies within one business day. On qualifying cases there is no upfront payment. You pay only if RateMDs removes it.
RateMDs is different from most review sites. It has a free flag button, a paid appeal route called Rating Concierge and a strict line on payment. This guide to RateMDs review removal walks through all three so you know which one fits your rating.
How RateMDs review removal works
RateMDs says feedback passes three layers of moderation: profanity filters, spam detection and human moderators who look at anything the automated systems flag. Most ratings publish straight away. Some are held while staff check them against the Terms of Use, especially when a profile shows irregular posting patterns that suggest spamming or astroturfing.
After a rating is live, anyone can flag it. A team RateMDs calls the Rating Validation Team reviews flagged ratings and removes those that break the Terms of Use. RateMDs is blunt about the limits. It says ratings are never removed because they give a low score or because a provider finds them unflattering. It also says it does not accept fees for removal.
So RateMDs review removal comes down to one question. Does this rating break a written rule? If yes, the job is to prove it. If no, no amount of pressure will change the outcome.
Which RateMDs ratings can be removed
RateMDs publishes a list of reasons a flagged rating may be removed. Every RateMDs review removal request needs one of them. Each maps to something real you may see on your profile.
| RateMDs reason | What it looks like | How strong a case |
|---|---|---|
| Inappropriate, hateful or threatening language | Slurs, threats or abuse aimed at you or staff | Strong |
| Astroturfing | A flood of glowing ratings, often aimed at a rival’s profile | Strong when the pattern is visible |
| Spamming | A flood of negative ratings in a short time, often with similar wording | Strong when the pattern is visible |
| Repeated posts | The same person rating you more than once | Strong. The Terms of Use allow one rating per doctor per user. |
| Hearsay or other patients’ experiences | “My neighbour said this doctor is careless” | Strong |
| Soliciting | Advertising a service or another clinic inside the rating | Strong |
| Privacy | Phone numbers or email addresses in the text | Strong |
| Generalisations | Sweeping claims with no link to a visit | Moderate |
| No personal medical experience | The writer never saw you as a patient | Moderate to strong with evidence |
| Other providers named | Names another doctor or clinic | Strong |
| Accusations of unlawful activity | Claims you committed a crime | Strong |
| Court appointed or IME assessments | A workers’ compensation, insurance, disability or personal injury assessment | Strong. RateMDs says there is no doctor and patient relationship. |
That last row matters for specialists who do independent medical examinations. RateMDs says ratings from those assessments may be removed because the person was assessed, not treated. If you do this work, it is often the cleanest RateMDs review removal case you will have.
How to flag a rating on RateMDs yourself
The free route to RateMDs review removal is the flag button. RateMDs describes it like this:
- Find the rating you want reviewed on your profile.
- Click the flag button under the rating.
- Complete the pop up prompts.
RateMDs gives a typical turnaround of about 3 business days. It also says you will not receive a response through the flagging system, so you check the profile yourself. If there is no flag option, the rating is either still waiting for review or it has already been reviewed and kept.
RateMDs adds a line worth taking seriously: flagging a rating does not necessarily mean it will be removed. A bare flag with no explanation is the weakest form of RateMDs review removal. A flag that points to one exact reason from the list above is much stronger.
The Rating Concierge appeal route
RateMDs also sells a paid upgrade called Rating Concierge. It is the paid side of RateMDs review removal. You turn it on from the billing page of your dashboard. Its evidence article says the Rating Appeal sits inside the Promoted Plan. RateMDs does not publish the price on the pages we read.
Here is what the service does, in RateMDs’ own terms:
- Instant alerts. You get a notification when a new rating is submitted.
- A 7 day private preview. You see the rating privately for seven days before it goes public.
- Two options for low ratings. Ratings of 3.5 stars or lower trigger a notice with two choices: appeal the rating or contact the patient to resolve the issue so they can retract it.
- A response coach. A person who helps with tone and the appeal process.
To appeal, click Contest rating in the notification, or open the Ratings tab and click Contest on the pending rating. Select an appeal reason, explain your reasoning, attach evidence and submit. The Rating Validation Team checks it against the Terms of Use. RateMDs says a decision takes up to three days. If the appeal is rejected, you have up to four days to add more evidence or a response. An accepted appeal deletes the rating permanently. A denied one is published.
Paying does not buy a removal
RateMDs says no provider can pay to have unfavourable feedback removed. Rating Concierge buys time and a review channel. It does not lower the bar. An old feature that let subscribers hide up to three reviews was discontinued in early 2019.
What evidence helps RateMDs review removal
RateMDs is unusually specific about evidence. It says evidence is useful only when a rating contains a statement you can show is inaccurate. Its examples:
| If the rating says | Send this | Privacy rule |
|---|---|---|
| You did a procedure or treatment you do not perform | A document that shows you do not offer it | Remove any patient detail |
| A price far outside your range | Evidence of your actual pricing for that treatment | No patient names |
| A visit on a date you were not in the office | A screenshot of your booking schedule showing your name, the dates and any appointments | Strip patient details first |
| An appointment type you do not offer | Proof of the appointment types you do offer | No patient details |
RateMDs is clear that you must not share protected health information. That means no patient names, gender, contact details or medical records. It also says removing patient details will not reduce the value of your evidence. Good RateMDs review removal work is about the inaccurate statement, never about the patient.
How RateMDs ratings are scored and labelled
Knowing the score helps you decide whether RateMDs review removal is worth the effort for one rating. Patients rate four categories: helpfulness, knowledge, punctuality and staff. RateMDs says all four carry equal weight and your overall score is a simple average.
Each rating also carries a label:
- Verified Patient ratings come from standard HCAHPS surveys run by authorised partners such as Press Ganey.
- Verified User ratings come from someone signed in to a verified RateMDs account.
- User ratings come from people who were not signed in, often anonymously. RateMDs still publishes them and infers location from the IP address.
An anonymous User rating is not removable just for being anonymous. It is still judged against the same rules as every other rating.
What RateMDs will not remove
The Terms of Use ask for truthful, relevant ratings. They do not ask for kind ones. RateMDs review removal usually fails for:
- A low score for punctuality from a patient who waited a long time
- A harsh comment about staff from someone who did visit
- An anonymous rating that describes a real visit
- A rating you simply disagree with
RateMDs also says it does not check the validity of every rating itself. That is why the evidence has to come from you. If your rating fits this list, our page on what we cannot remove explains how we handle it honestly.
Responding to a RateMDs rating
When RateMDs review removal is not possible, a reply is your best tool. RateMDs says you must first claim your profile. Then:
- Sign in to your RateMDs account.
- Select Ratings in the left sidebar.
- Type your reply in the text box below the rating.
- Select Add Response.
Your response must be between 50 and 5,000 characters. RateMDs warns not to share protected health information in it. Keep it short, polite and general. Thank the person, say you take feedback seriously and invite them to contact the office. Never confirm that they were your patient.
How long RateMDs review removal takes
RateMDs gives more timing detail than most platforms:
- A flag is typically reviewed in about 3 business days.
- A Rating Concierge appeal decision takes up to three days.
- After a rejected appeal you have up to four days to add more evidence.
- For subscribers, there can be a delay of up to 7 days between a rating being submitted and published.
Those are RateMDs’ figures, not ours. We never promise a date for RateMDs review removal because the platform makes the call.
What to do if RateMDs says no
A failed RateMDs review removal request is not always final. First, read the rating again with fresh eyes. Has the reviewer posted again, which would break the one rating per doctor rule? Has a pattern appeared across several ratings? Either could support a new flag.
Second, reply. A calm response under a harsh rating often does more for new patients than the removal would have.
Third, grow your genuine ratings. A simple average moves fast when real patients add their voice.
If the rating makes a false statement of fact that harms your practice, see our defamation removal page. For the wider picture across doctor sites, read review removal for dentists and doctors, Healthgrades review removal and Zocdoc review removal. If you think a competitor is behind the ratings, our fake review removal page explains how we build that case.
How Removal Lab works
- Send the link. WhatsApp, email or the two field form. Two minutes, no long questionnaire.
- Free policy check. A specialist reads it against the platform rules and tells you honestly whether it qualifies.
- We build and file the case. The right policy, the right channel, the evidence attached. We handle the appeal too.
- Pay only when it is gone. No upfront payment on qualifying cases. If the platform says no, you owe nothing.
What we will never do
- Promise a removal. The platform decides, not us.
- Post fake reviews or pay anyone to delete a review.
- Pressure, threaten or try to identify a reviewer.
- Charge an upfront fee on a case that does not qualify.
Read how our process works or how pricing works before you decide.
Get a free RateMDs rating check
Send the profile link and the rating. A specialist replies within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
Can a doctor remove a rating on RateMDs?
Not directly. You can flag a rating or appeal it through Rating Concierge. The RateMDs Rating Validation Team removes it only if it breaks the Terms of Use.
Can I pay RateMDs to remove a bad rating?
No. RateMDs says no provider can pay to have unfavourable feedback removed and that it does not accept fees for removal.
How long does a RateMDs flag take?
RateMDs gives a typical turnaround of about 3 business days for flagged ratings. You will not get a reply through the flag system, so check the profile.
Are anonymous RateMDs ratings removed?
No, not for being anonymous. RateMDs publishes them with a User label and judges them against the same Terms of Use as signed in ratings.
What evidence does RateMDs accept in an appeal?
Evidence that shows a statement is inaccurate, such as your pricing, your services or a booking schedule screenshot for the date. Remove all patient details first.
What does RateMDs review removal cost with Removal Lab?
The check is free. On qualifying cases there is no upfront payment and you pay only when RateMDs removes the rating.
Sources: RateMDs: Why is a review removed or not published?, RateMDs: I see a rating that should be removed, RateMDs: What evidence should I provide?, RateMDs Rating Concierge, RateMDs: How do I respond to my ratings?, The RateMDs Rating System, RateMDs Commitment to Transparency and RateMDs Terms of Use. Removal Lab does not work for RateMDs. Every decision is made by the platform.