Automated patient review requests

Honest note: rules automation (scheduled requests, widgets, reports), not generative AI. Numbers come from GatherUp's own case study. The practice also used Zapier to send post-treatment expectation emails—that is optional once you see which themes appear in feedback. Paths below come from GatherUp's help center (Request Setup, Tag Widget, Customer Activity send mode).

Prerequisites

• A GatherUp account with admin access for each location you will run.
• Patient emails or phone numbers you have permission to contact (or a CRM/Zapier feed that adds customers).
• A WordPress (or other) site where you can paste a shortcode or embed code for treatment pages.
• Optional: a Zapier account if you want follow-up "what to expect" emails after treatment.

Step-by-step setup

Step 1. Pick the request flow for the location. Sign in, select the location, then open Requests → Request Setup (GatherUp renamed this from Request Modes). Choose a flow such as Survey & Reviews, Ratings & Review, or Public Reviews. Use Brand & Colors for logo and accent color, and open Advanced Settings (Feedback Settings) to set send method (Email, SMS, or both), rating type (NPS or Stars), and reminders.

Step 2. Turn on automatic sending. On Customer Activity for that location, under Request Mode / Send Mode, choose Automatically. In the modal, set a daily automatic-request limit close to your real daily patient volume (GatherUp warns that oversized limits can look like review spam to Google or Facebook), then click Done.

Step 3. Add past patients and send a first wave. Add customers one by one or import a customer list. For a catch-up campaign, keep Send Mode on Manual briefly, select the profiles, send, then switch back to Automatic for new patients. You can also use QR codes, a Feedback URL from Settings → Feedback Settings, Zapier, or GatherUp's native integrations so new patients enter without typing.

Step 4. Embed a Tag Widget on each treatment page. In GatherUp go to Publish → Tag Widget (or create/edit under Tag Widget help), filter by star rating and keyword so only relevant reviews show, then copy the embed. On WordPress: install the GatherUp plugin, open Settings → GatherUp Widget, paste the embed, save, and put the shortcode on each treatment page. On other sites, paste the embed code where reviews should appear.

Step 5. Read Business / Success reports weekly. Open the location's Business Report (and NPS views if you use NPS) to track request volume, open rate, and new reviews. Use keyword/sentiment charts (for example "staff" vs "question") to spot communication gaps.

Step 6. Optional: Zapier expectation emails. If feedback shows patients need clearer after-care notes, create a Zapier zap: trigger when treatment is marked complete in your CRM or calendar → Delay 7 days → Email with "what to expect next week," then a second delay for week two. Keep medical claims out of the copy; stick to process and timing.

Easier: let your AI do it

GatherUp has no official Claude, ChatGPT, or Grok connector we could confirm. Setup stays manual. Use the Copy-paste prompt for request SMS wording, widget filter ideas, and Zapier email drafts.

What success looks like

New patients enter GatherUp and get a request without staff clicking send each time. Treatment pages show filtered reviews. You watch request → review conversion in reports and fix themes that keep showing up in private feedback. Compare your 30-day new-review count to your own baseline (the case reported 33).

Common issues & fixes

• Flagged as spam on Google: lower the daily automatic limit so it matches real volume.
• Widget empty: filters are too tight, or Google/Facebook are not connected for that location.
• Nobody gets SMS: check Settings → SMS Requests and that numbers include country code.
• Reminders feel pushy: turn reminders off in Request Setup or lengthen the day gap.

Optional: Maintenance

• Monthly: skim keyword charts and update Tag Widget filters when you add treatments.
• Quarterly: re-import or reconnect any CRM so discharged patients still get one polite ask.

Copy-paste prompt

I run a [cosmetic surgery / specialty clinic] with [N] locations. We use GatherUp for review requests.

Write:
1. A short SMS review request (under 160 characters) with placeholders [FIRST NAME] and [FEEDBACK LINK], warm and HIPAA-aware (no procedure details).
2. Three Tag Widget filter ideas (star minimum + keyword) for pages like "liposuction", "facelift", and "consult".
3. Two short "what to expect" emails for day 7 and day 14 after treatment: process and timing only, no medical claims, under 120 words each.
Tone: calm, professional. No hype, no guaranteed results.

Sources

• Case: GatherUp case study — NuBody Concepts. Credit: the practice (vendor-published).
• GatherUp Help: New Review Request Flow User Guide, Change Daily Limit of Requests Sent Automatically, Create or Edit a Tag Widget, Add the Review Widget, Tag Widget, or Review Badge, GatherUp WordPress Plugin, Quick Start Guide