Client reviews can be very powerful. They can make or break a business in terms of revenue and reputation, and rehab centers are no exception to this. This is why an entire sub-industry is centered around writing fake reviews has emerged.

It is important to look for reviews of programs you’re interested in, but don’t just look at the number of reviews and the average rating, which is usually displayed as somewhere between 1 and 5 stars. While Google and Facebook generally offer the most reviews, there are also other websites that provide methods of reviewing rehabs as well.

How to Spot Fake Reviews

We recommend taking the time to actually read some of the reviews on Google and Facebook, primarily, as part of your research. If you see a ton of 5 star reviews with short, generic compliments, they are likely fake reviews, or at the very least not very genuine and an attempt to manipulate the system. There should also be at least one or more negative reviews, as no program is right for everyone. Surely there are disgruntled former clients who didn’t have a great experience.

Which Reviews are Real?

Negative reviews aren’t always the result of the care they received, sometimes they are just bitter, so don’t let a single or even a few negative reviews deter your decision. Instead, if the majority of the reviews are positive, relay specific personal experiences, mention staff by name and other realistic descriptions, then these are all good signs.

Overall, it is good for the programs to have a fair number of reviews. They need not be in the hundreds, but as long as there is a good ratio of positive reviews to negative ones, and they appear to be genuine, then you likely can trust them as being pretty accurate and more than a few single subjective experiences.