Google Business Profile posts and Q&A for therapists

For OT, PT and speech therapy clinics serving children, adults or both: use Google Business Profile posts for dated, checkable updates, answer questions in Q&A only where Google offers it (select categories and regions), and keep every public word general.⁠¹ Never confirm that someone is a patient, never promise results, and link each post to the right page.

This guide covers what a clinic writes after setup; eligibility and verification are in the setup guide, categories in the categories guide and reviews in the review guide.

What are Google Business Profile posts, and where do families see them?

Posts are short updates a clinic publishes on its own Business Profile, and families see them on Google Search and Maps. Google shows them in the Updates or Overview tabs of the profile on a phone and in the From the owner section on a computer.⁠²

A post can carry text, photos or videos and a button that leads to a page where the visitor can act, such as making a booking.⁠² For a therapy clinic that page is the service page for the right age group: a parent looking for a toddler speech evaluation and an adult looking for balance therapy after a fall need different destinations, as the pediatric and adult service page guides explain.

Posts appear only on a verified profile; until then Google lists a post as Pending, and it does not show on Search or Maps.⁠² Featured posts drawn from Facebook or Instagram are currently limited, in English, to single-location food and drink businesses in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, so a clinic’s social posts do not reach its profile that way.⁠²

Which post types can a therapy clinic create on Google?

Three: Updates, Offers and Events.⁠²

Google lets you schedule a post, repeat it weekly or monthly, and publish one post to several profiles at once.⁠² A practice with several locations should check each one’s hours, ages and services before sharing a post to all of them.

How long do Google Business Profile posts stay visible?

Google archives a post once it is older than six months, unless the post has a date range.⁠² That is long enough for an "accepting new patients" update to outlive the opening it announced, so give every post a remove-by date and edit or delete it when the facts change; Google allows both after publishing.⁠²

Which decisions should a clinic settle before it posts on Google?

Five, and each one ends in a short written record:

Check the features on your own profile before planning around them: Google marks Q&A as available only for select business categories and regions, and chat options and social media links only for select regions.⁠¹

What does Google reject or restrict in a therapy clinic’s posts?

Google reviews every post and can reject those that break its posts content policy or the prohibited and restricted content policies that apply to all profile content.⁠^2,11 A rejected post shows as Not approved, with a question mark that indicates the policy it violates.⁠² The rules a therapy clinic meets most often:

• Contact details. Google may remove posts with unverified phone numbers, email addresses or social media handles, and offers a Call now button that uses the profile’s verified number.⁠¹²
• Links. No links to malware, viruses, phishing or pornographic material, and none to websites not related to your business.⁠^2,13
• Regulated products. Google lists pharmaceutical products and health and medical devices among regulated industries and bars deals, coupons, pricing or other promotions for restricted products, so keep prices and buy links for any equipment you sell out of posts.⁠^2,13
• Misleading claims. Google bars harmful content with deceptive or misleading health or medical information, and false or misleading accounts of the description or quality of a service.⁠¹³
• Other people’s information. No one’s personal information without consent, including their face in a photo or their medical information.⁠¹³
• Filler. No misspellings, extra characters, text that adds no value or auto-generated content.⁠²

Google also makes the business responsible for its posts complying with all applicable laws, so the HIPAA, ethics and FTC sections below apply too.⁠¹² Appeal routes are in the troubleshooting guide, and restrictions on a whole profile in the suspended profile guide.

What photo and video specifications does Google set for a profile?

Photos in JPG or PNG between 10 KB and 5 MB, ideally 720 by 720 pixels and at least 250 by 250, in focus and not significantly altered; videos up to 30 seconds, up to 75 MB and at 720p or higher.⁠¹⁴ Google’s tips for media on Maps say to use media you captured and to avoid stock photos, screenshots and heavily edited images.⁠¹⁵

Photograph the place, not the people, and check every background for schedules and screens.

How does Google Business Profile Q&A work for therapy clinics now?

Where Google offers it, Q&A lets the people who manage a profile answer questions about the business; Google says the feature is available only for select business categories and regions.⁠¹ Do not assume your profile has it: look, and date what you see.

The way questions reach a business is changing. In a December 3, 2025 announcement in the Business Profile Help Community, a Google employee wrote that customers can ask their question directly in Google Maps and get an instant answer based on the business’s answers and relevant reviews, that an owner’s answer is used for others asking similar questions, and that existing questions can still be answered in the Q&A section.⁠³ So write each answer to hold for every family, and reply to reviews as the review guide describes, since they feed the same answers.⁠³

In a pilot for verified US merchants, Google asks attribute questions answered Yes, No or Skip, and those responses cannot be edited or deleted on mobile devices, so answer only what is always true.⁠¹ Place questions and answers are moderated user content you can report when you believe they break Google’s policy or the law.⁠¹⁶

Can a clinic write its own questions in Google Business Profile Q&A?

Not as if it were a family. Google’s Help page on Q&A and its December 2025 announcement describe owners answering questions, not asking them, and its content policy bars content not based on a real experience, content posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person, and soliciting content that does not represent a genuine experience.⁠^1,3,13 The honest version is the answer bank below: the questions families really ask, answered once and used everywhere.

What does HIPAA mean for a clinic’s Google posts and public answers?

If your clinic is a HIPAA covered entity, it may not disclose a patient’s protected health information in a post or an answer unless the Privacy Rule permits it, and confirming that someone is your patient can be such a disclosure.⁠¹⁷ Individually identifiable health information includes information about the provision of health care to a person that identifies them, which is what "yes, we treated your son" reveals.⁠¹⁸

Check whether HIPAA applies: HHS treats a health care provider as a covered entity only if it transmits information electronically in connection with a transaction for which HHS has adopted a standard.⁠¹⁹ Outside HIPAA, the professional codes still bind their members: ASHA’s allows disclosure of confidential information only when legally authorized or required, and APTA’s only as the patient authorizes or the law permits or requires.⁠^7,8

HHS has enforced the rule against practices that replied to reviews. Manasa Health Center, a New Jersey provider of adult and child psychiatric services, paid $30,000 and agreed to a corrective action plan after a complaint that it disclosed a patient’s information in a response to the patient’s negative online review.⁠⁴ New Vision Dental agreed to pay $23,000 after a complaint that its Yelp replies sometimes gave full names where patients had used only screen names, with visit and insurance details the reviewers may not have mentioned.⁠⁵

OCR cited the Privacy Rule’s general disclosure standard, 45 CFR 164.502(a), in the New Vision case, not a rule about reviews, so apply the same care to a Q&A answer and to a post.⁠⁵ A public reply never implies that the person asking, or anyone they mention, has been seen at the clinic, and adds nothing to what they wrote.

When does a promotional post need a patient’s written authorization?

Whenever it uses or discloses a patient’s information: their face, name, story, progress, or a thank-you that identifies them. The Privacy Rule requires an authorization for any use or disclosure of protected health information for marketing, except a face-to-face communication or a promotional gift of nominal value, and marketing means a communication that encourages people to buy or use a product or service.⁠^6,20

A post about your own services that uses no patient’s information is different: HHS’s guidance treats communications by a covered entity about its own products or services as an exception to the marketing definition.⁠²¹ The exception covers the message, not the patient, so once a post includes someone who receives care, get an authorization valid under 45 CFR 164.508 first.⁠⁶

For a child, HHS says a parent, guardian or other person acting in loco parentis is in most cases the personal representative who acts for the minor.⁠²² An adult signs for themselves unless someone holds broad authority over their health care decisions; HHS says a person whose power of attorney covers only a specific treatment should not sign a marketing authorization.⁠²² File the signed form with the post record.

What do the ASHA, AOTA and APTA codes and the FTC ask of a post?

All four point the same way: say only what is accurate and supported, and promise no result.

A patient’s story in a post is an endorsement, and the FTC’s guides cover services as well as products.⁠¹⁰ An endorsement about a key result is likely to be read as what people can generally expect, and consumer endorsements are not themselves competent and reliable scientific evidence.⁠¹⁰ Praise from an employee or relative must disclose the connection.⁠⁹

What should a therapy clinic post on Google each month?

Plan four posts a month, one a week, each answering a question families ask before they call. Every example is a fill-in, to post only when true:

For holidays, set special hours, the field Google provides for temporary changes, and treat a post as the extra notice.⁠¹ Do not expect the schedule to move rankings: Google’s local ranking tips do not mention posts, and Google says a better ranking cannot be requested or bought.⁠²⁴

Which post ideas work for OT, PT and speech therapy clinics?

Ones that answer a question a family would otherwise call about:

1. How to ask for an evaluation; the intake call script is the phone side.
2. A clinician joining, with credentials exactly as held and the ages they see.
3. The real entrance, parking and accessible route.
4. A genuine education event, such as a parent-group talk.
5. How to ask for an interpreter or another language.
6. The waitlist in general terms; the waitlist guide covers how to state waits.
7. Which services are for children and which for adults.
8. How insurance is checked before a first visit.
9. Where a mobile service travels.
10. What to bring to a first visit.
11. Holiday arrangements, after the special hours are set.
12. Where private questions belong: the phone or the secure form.

How should pediatric and adult services be posted differently?

Write each post for one audience. A pediatric post speaks to the parent: the actual ages, the caregiver’s role in sessions, times that fit around school. An adult post speaks to the patient: the services, whether the entrance and restroom are accessible, and a way to make contact without a phone call. One profile holds both services, as the setup guide explains, but each post belongs to one, with photos to match. The accessible inquiry forms guide covers contact routes for adults with communication or motor needs.

What should a therapy clinic never post on its Google profile?

Anything that identifies a patient without authorization, promises a result, or says more than the clinic can support:

• A patient’s face, name, story or progress without a written authorization valid under HIPAA.⁠⁶
• A promise of results or of a timeline for them; ASHA’s code allows a reasonable prognosis, not a promise.⁠⁷
• A claim you cannot back with evidence, such as that a technique "rewires the brain".⁠⁹
• A checklist telling readers their child has a condition; Google bars misleading health information.⁠¹³
• A testimonial presented as what every patient can expect.⁠¹⁰
• Capacity that is not real, such as "no waitlist"; Google bars misleading accounts of a service, and APTA’s code bars misleading representations.⁠^8,13
• Coverage you have not confirmed, such as "all insurance accepted".
• Prices, deals or buy links for equipment that counts as a health or medical device.⁠¹³
• An invitation to share health details in public; Google does not allow soliciting personal or confidential information.⁠²⁵

What should you check before publishing a Google Business Profile post?

Eight things, read by someone other than the writer when the clinic has a second person:

1. Purpose. Does the post answer one real question, for one audience, with one link?
2. Facts. Do the ages, services, hours, insurance and capacity match the clinic’s record today?
3. Privacy. Is every person shown absent or covered by a written authorization, and the background clear of names and screens?⁠⁶
4. Claims. Does any sentence promise a result, imply unproven effectiveness, or diagnose the reader?
5. Credentials. Is every credential written exactly as held?
6. Destination. Does the button open the right page for that age group on a phone?
7. Google’s rules. Is it free of unverified contact details, unrelated links, device prices and filler?⁠^12,13
8. Expiry. Who owns the post, and on what day is it edited or removed?

Which questions should a clinic prepare public answers for?

The ones families ask before they call: ages, services, insurance, the waitlist, referrals, parking and access, telehealth, languages and what to bring. Write one approved answer for each and use it in Q&A when a matching question appears, on your website’s FAQ, in your business description and in your directory listings.

The business description allows up to 750 characters, with no URLs or HTML and a focus on the business rather than promotions or prices.⁠¹ Accessibility attributes have definitions: Google’s wheelchair-accessible entrance means three feet or one meter wide with no steps or stairs, and accessible parking means a spot reserved for people with accessibility needs.⁠²⁶

Do families need a referral before booking OT, PT or speech therapy?

It depends on the discipline, the state and the payer, so the honest answer says so and explains how you check. For physical therapy, APTA reports that all 50 states, DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands provide some form of direct access, with limits that differ by jurisdiction, and notes that certain insurance plans may still require a referral.⁠^27,28 Medicare requires the plan of treatment for outpatient PT, OT and speech-language pathology to be certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant, and recertified at least every 90 days.⁠²⁹ For OT and speech-language pathology outside Medicare, check your state practice act and each payer’s policy.

How do you answer a public question that reveals health information?

Answer the general question, give the clinic’s own contact route, and leave every personal detail alone: do not repeat it, respond to it, or say whether the person or anyone they mention is a patient. Google lets a business post its own contact information in replies to reviews and Q&A but does not allow soliciting personal or confidential information, so the reply invites a private call, never more detail in public.⁠²⁵

Leave out sympathy that confirms facts, predictions such as "it is never too late", names and any "welcome back". If a question exposes another person’s medical information without consent, report it; Google bars posting someone’s personal information without consent, and its Maps policy lets you report place questions or answers.⁠^13,16 Do not look the person up in your records first: the public answer is the same either way.

What does this look like for a clinic that serves children and adults?

Four plain posts, one standard reply and one quick edit in a month:

How do you keep posts and answers current after they go live?

Give one person the job, and edit the moment hours, staff, the waitlist, insurance networks, the entrance or an age group’s services change. Once a month, read the live profile as a family would and remove anything stale; the setup guide lists what to check.

Google changes profiles too. It may update information that other sources report as outdated, shows its changes in blue in the profile editor, and when it notifies you of a suggested edit, gives you 4 days to accept or reject it, after which it may publish the edit if other public information supports it.⁠³⁰ On a verified profile Google might also post an update based on what staff tell its automated calls or texts; it emails you when it does, you can review or remove the post, and the option can be turned off in Advanced settings.⁠³¹ Decide which you want and tell whoever answers the clinic phone.

Keep the same facts on your DrSensory listing. Every clinic has a basic listing at no cost and claiming it is free; a paid listing adds a description in your own words, your logo, hours, specialties, the ages and conditions you treat, photos, your website link, reviews with your public replies and family inquiries that come to the clinic, so a change to your hours or ages belongs in both places the same day. The claim and optimize guide shows how, and the name, address and phone guide covers consistency across listings.

Sources

1. Google. Edit your Business Profile (Google Business Profile Help; sections “Q&A”, “Business description” and “Hours”). on Q&A: “This feature is available only for select business categories and regions”; “As we continue to enhance this feature, its appearance and functionality might change”; “Business owners and others who manage the Business Profile can answer questions about their business in the Q&A section of their Google Business Profile”; “For verified US merchants, Google is piloting an enhanced Q&A experience”; “Answer attribute questions by selecting "Yes," "No," or "Skip."”; “Responses to these attribute questions cannot be edited or deleted on mobile devices. Checked October 23, 2026.
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   If you need to modify a response, contact support”; on chat: “Chat options are currently available for select regions and might not be available for your Business Profile”; on social media links: “Social media links are currently available for select regions and may not be available for all users”; on the business description: “Do not include URLs or HTML code”; “Do not exceed 750 characters in the description field”; “Focus primarily on details about your business instead of details about promotions, prices, or sales”; on hours: “To change your hours for holidays or other temporary periods, set special hours”.
2. Google. Create & manage posts on your Business Profile (Google Business Profile Help). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “You can post updates on your Business Profile to share announcements, offers, updates, and event details directly with your customers on Search and Maps”; customers find posts in “The “Updates” or “Overview” tabs of the Business Profile on mobile on Search and Maps”; “The “From the owner” section of the Business Profile on your computer on Search and Maps”; of featured posts: “This feature is currently available in English for single-location food and drink businesses in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand”; “Posts that include a phone number in the post description might get rejected if they cannot be verified as being connected to the business on which they are posted”; “Updates: Share info about your business”; “The button should direct customers to a website where they can complete the action, like make a booking, order online, or learn more”; “Offers: Provide promotional sales or deals from your business. It requires a title, dates, and time. This automatically includes a "View Offer" button on the post”; “Events: Promote an event at your business”; “If you don’t provide a start or end time, the event shows as lasting 24 hours on the event dates”; “Posts older than 6 months are archived unless a date range is set”; “If you want to schedule your post to publish at a later time, turn on Schedule this post”; “If you want to publish your post on a recurring basis, from the “Repeats” dropdown menu, select how often you want your post to show up, such as weekly, monthly, or a custom schedule”; “To post across multiple Business Profiles, select the profiles where you want to share it”; “You can edit or delete a post after you publish it”; “After you publish your post, Google reviews it to make sure it meets our posts content policy”; “Pending: The post doesn’t show on Search or Maps. It’s either in the upload stage, the processing stage, or your profile is unverified”; “Not approved: The post doesn’t show on Search or Maps. The question mark next to the status indicates which content policy the post violates”; “Avoid misspelled words, extra characters, text that adds no value, and auto-generated or distracting content”; “The system doesn’t allow links that lead to malware, viruses, phishing, or pornographic material”; “You can use posts if you offer products or services in a regulated industry, but do not include content about the products”; the regulated industries listed include “pharmaceutical products”; “health and medical devices”.
3. Google Business Profile Help Community. A heads up about the upcoming changes to the Q&A feature (announcement posted by a Google employee on December 3, 2025, last edited December 9, 2025). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “customers can ask their question directly in Google Maps and get an updated, instant answer based on your answers and relevant reviews”; “you can answer aggregated questions from our customers, saving you time. Your answer will then be used to help respond to other customers asking similar questions on Maps”; “Business Profile users can continue to answer existing questions about their business in the Q&A section in their Google Business Profile. Your published questions and answers will continue to power Google’s understanding of the real world and may be shown in Maps”.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. HHS Office for Civil Rights Reaches Agreement with Health Care Provider in New Jersey That Disclosed Patient Information in Response to Negative Online Reviews (resolution agreement summary; content last reviewed June 5, 2023). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “a health care provider in New Jersey that provides adult and child psychiatric services”; “alleging that Manasa Health Center impermissibly disclosed the protected health information of a patient when the entity posted a response to the patient’s negative online review”; “potential violations of the HIPAA Privacy Rule include impermissible disclosures of patient protected health information in response to negative online reviews, and failure to implement policies and procedures with respect to protected health information”; “Manasa Health Center paid $30,000 to OCR and agreed to implement a corrective action plan to resolve these potential violations”.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. New Vision Dental Resolution Agreement and Correction Action Plan (signed November 2022; content last reviewed December 14, 2022). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “Complainant alleged that NVD habitually disclosed PHI when it responded to patient posts sometimes providing full names where only Yelp monikers were used by the patients and including detailed information about patient visits and insurance that may not have been previously mentioned in their initial reviews”; “NVD impermissibly disclosed PHI. See 45 C.F.R. § 164.502(a)”; “NVD failed to implement policies and procedures with respect to PHI, including releasing PHI on social media/public platforms”; “the amount of $23,000”; the corrective action plan requires a notice describing “the uses and disclosures of PHI for which NVD is required to obtain an individual’s authorization (e.g., posting on NVD’s website, social media pages and/or other public platforms)”.
6. eCFR. 45 CFR 164.508 Uses and disclosures for which an authorization is required (HIPAA Privacy Rule, current text, paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(3)). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “Except as otherwise permitted or required by this subchapter, a covered entity may not use or disclose protected health information without an authorization that is valid under this section”; “a covered entity must obtain an authorization for any use or disclosure of protected health information for marketing, except if the communication is in the form of: (A) A face-to-face communication made by a covered entity to an individual; or (B) A promotional gift of nominal value provided by the covered entity”.
7. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Code of Ethics (effective March 1, 2023; Principles of Ethics I and III and Terminology). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “Individuals may make a reasonable statement of prognosis, but they shall not guarantee—directly or by implication—the results of any treatment or procedure”; “Individuals shall protect the confidentiality of information about persons served professionally or participants involved in research and scholarly activities. Disclosure of confidential information shall be allowed only when doing so is legally authorized or required by law”; “Individuals shall not misrepresent their credentials, competence, education, training, experience, or scholarly contributions”; “they shall inform those they serve professionally of the name, role, and professional credentials of persons providing services”; “Individuals’ statements to the public shall adhere to prevailing professional standards and shall not contain misrepresentations when advertising, announcing, or promoting their professional services, products, or research”; advertising is “Any form of communication with the public regarding services, therapies, research, products, or publications”; individuals means “ASHA members and/or certificate holders and applicants for ASHA certification”.
8. American Physical Therapy Association. Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession (Standards of Conduct and aspirational examples). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “1.2 Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants shall protect patients’ and clients’ confidential information and not disclose that confidential information except as authorized by the patient or client or as permitted or required by law”; “3.D Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants shall strive to be accountable for the accuracy and truthfulness of information they disseminate, including in the use of emerging technologies, such as social media and artificial intelligence”; “6.1 Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants shall provide information about their services that is truthful and accurate and shall not make misleading representations in any forms of communication, including billing”. APTA’s policy page, Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist: “At its 2025 meeting, the APTA House of Delegates adopted a new Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession that combines the Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant into one comprehensive document. This new Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession went into effect Jan 1, 2026”.
9. Federal Trade Commission. Advertising FAQ’s: A Guide for Small Business (business guidance). Checked October 23, 2026.
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   “Advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive”; “Advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims”; “Under the law, advertisers must have proof to back up express and implied claims that consumers take from an ad”; “In most cases, ads that make health or safety claims must be supported by "competent and reliable scientific evidence"”; “Statements from satisfied customers usually are not sufficient to support a health or safety claim or any other claim that requires objective evaluation”; “if an endorser is an employee or relative of the advertiser, that fact must be disclosed because it is relevant to how much weight a consumer would give to the endorsement”; “And every state has consumer protection laws that govern ads running in that state”.
10. Federal Trade Commission. Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, 16 CFR Part 255 (eCFR, current text, sections 255.0(d), 255.2(a) and (b), 255.5(a)). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “For purposes of this part, the term “product” includes any product, service, brand, company, or industry”; “Consumer endorsements themselves are not competent and reliable scientific evidence”; “An advertisement containing an endorsement relating the experience of one or more consumers on a central or key attribute of the product will likely be interpreted as representing that the endorser’s experience is representative of what consumers will generally achieve with the advertised product in actual, albeit variable, conditions of use”; “Material connections can include a business, family, or personal relationship”.
11. Google. Overview of Google Business Profile policies (Google Business Profile Help). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “All content added to a Business Profile must abide by Google’s Prohibited and restricted content policies. These policies apply to all content formats, which includes Reviews, Photos, Videos and Posts”; “Profiles and content that does not meet these criteria may be rejected from publication on Google”.
12. Google. Business Profile photos, videos & posts content policy (Google Business Profile Help). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “You’re responsible for making sure that your posted content complies with all applicable laws and regulations”; “To avoid fraud or abuse, we may remove posts with unverified contact information. This includes phone numbers, email addresses, and social media handles”; “Alternatively, attach a Call now button to your post. This uses your verified Business Profile phone number so customers can contact you”.
13. Google. Prohibited & restricted content (Maps user-generated content policy, the policy Google Business Profile content must follow). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    Fake engagement includes “Content that is not based on a real experience or does not accurately represent the location or product in question”; “Content that has been posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person”; merchants may not “Solicit or encourage the posting of content that does not represent a genuine experience”; Misinformation includes “Harmful content that contains deceptive or misleading health or medical information”; Misrepresentation includes “False or misleading accounts of the description or quality of a good or service”; Personal information: “Do not distribute or post personal information without consent”; “Content which contains personal information of another posted without their consent such as: full name, or last name, their face in a photograph or a video, or other information which has been reported as having been posted without consent”; “Personally identifiable information and other personal information about yourself or others including financial information, medical information or personal identification information”; “We do allow merchants to post contact information related to their business including phone, email, or social media handles”; Restricted content: “The content you upload may not feature calls to action or offers for the sale of products or services that are subject to local legal regulations”; the list includes “health and medical devices, regulated pharmaceuticals”; “Promotional offers for restricted goods or services. For example, you shouldn’t upload content that displays deals, coupons, pricing information or other promotions for a restricted product or service”; Off-topic: “Only post content that is based on your experience or questions about experiences at a specific location”; prohibited for merchants: “In posts: Email addresses, phone numbers, social media links, or links to other websites in your posts that are not related to your business. Offers and updates that may be seen as promotional or commercial content are otherwise permitted in posts”; Repetitive content includes “Posting the same content multiple times either from the same account or multiple accounts”.
14. Google. Manage your Business Profile photos & videos (Google Business Profile Help). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “Your photos and videos show up on Google only after you verify your Business Profile”; “Format: JPG or PNG”; “Size: Between 10 KB and 5 MB”; “Recommended resolution: 720 px tall, 720 px wide”; “Minimum resolution: 250 px tall, 250 px wide”; “The photo should be in focus and well lit, and have no significant alterations or excessive use of filters. In other words, the image should represent reality”; for videos, “Duration: Up to 30 seconds long”; “File size: Up to 75 MB”; “Resolution: 720p or higher”; “It can take up to 24–48 hours before your photos and videos show on your Business Profile”.
15. Google. Tips for posting media to Maps (Maps User Contributed Content Policy Help). “Low quality media may be removed; quality removals can’t be appealed”; “Upload media of a place that you captured using a camera. Avoid screenshots, stock photos, GIFs, collages, heavily edited or otherwise manipulated photos, or imagery created by other parties”. Checked October 23, 2026.
16. Google. Maps user-generated content policy (Maps User Contributed Content Policy Help). “posts or edits must be based on real experiences and information”; “If you find subjective content, such as reviews, media, place questions or answers, or profiles that you believe violate our policies or the law, refer to the Report and fix inappropriate content policy”. Checked October 23, 2026.
17. eCFR. 45 CFR 164.502 Uses and disclosures of protected health information: General rules (HIPAA Privacy Rule, current text, paragraph (a)). “A covered entity or business associate may not use or disclose protected health information, except as permitted or required by this subpart or by subpart C of part 160 of this subchapter”. Checked October 23, 2026.
18. eCFR. 45 CFR 160.103 Definitions (HIPAA Administrative Simplification, current text). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “Individually identifiable health information is information that is a subset of health information, including demographic information collected from an individual, and: (1) Is created or received by a health care provider, health plan, employer, or health care clearinghouse; and (2) Relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual; the provision of health care to an individual; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual; and (i) That identifies the individual; or (ii) With respect to which there is a reasonable basis to believe the information can be used to identify the individual”.
19. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Covered Entities and Business Associates (HIPAA for Professionals; content last reviewed August 21, 2024). health care providers are covered entities “but only if they transmit any information in an electronic form in connection with a transaction for which HHS has adopted a standard”; “If an entity does not meet the definition of a covered entity or business associate, it does not have to comply with the HIPAA Rules”. Checked October 23, 2026.
20. eCFR. 45 CFR 164.501 Definitions (HIPAA Privacy Rule, current text, definition of marketing). “marketing means to make a communication about a product or service that encourages recipients of the communication to purchase or use the product or service”. Checked October 23, 2026.
21. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Marketing (HIPAA Privacy Rule guidance, 45 CFR 164.501 and 164.508(a)(3); content last reviewed July 26, 2013). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “With limited exceptions, the Rule requires an individual’s written authorization before a use or disclosure of his or her protected health information can be made for marketing”; “This exception to the marketing definition permits communications by a covered entity about its own products or services”.
22. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Personal Representatives (HIPAA Privacy Rule guidance, 45 CFR 164.502(g); content last reviewed January 5, 2024). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “In most cases under the Rule, a parent, guardian, or other person acting in loco parentis (collectively, “parent”) is the personal representative of the minor child and can exercise the minor’s rights with respect to protected health information”; of a person with a limited health care power of attorney: “The covered entity should not treat that person as the individual for other purposes, such as to sign an authorization for the disclosure of protected health information for marketing purposes”.
23. American Occupational Therapy Association. Ethics (Practice Essentials; the page links the AOTA 2025 Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics, doi:10.5014/ajot.2025.79S302). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “Occupational therapy personnel, including occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students, have an obligation to demonstrate ethical conduct that reflects professional values when working with clients, families, caregivers, administrators, colleagues, policymakers, payers, and other health care professionals”. AOTA’s Code of Ethics Core Values and Principles infographic (© 2025) names veracity among the Code’s guiding ethical principles and states: “Sanctionable offenses and violations of ethical standards are addressed separately under the Code’s Standards of Conduct, which outline specific and enforceable behaviors”.
24. Google. Tips to improve your local ranking on Google (Google Business Profile Help). its tips are headed “Verify your business”; “Keep your business information up-to-date”; “Respond to reviews”; “Add photos & videos”; “Add in-store products”; “Businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results”; “There’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google”; “Local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity”. Checked October 23, 2026.
25. Google. Guidelines for representing your business on Google (Google Business Profile Help; content guidelines and business description). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “we do not allow content, or solicitation of content, that contains private or confidential information such as personal financial information, government-issued IDs, contact information linked or associated with a name, sensitive records, images, transcripts or links that contain personal information”; “Merchants are permitted to post contact information (social media handles, email, phone number) for their own business on their own business profile or in response to reviews, Q&A, etc. However, we do not allow solicitation of personal or confidential information”; “You should be upfront and honest about the information provided, focusing on content that’s relevant and useful to your customers to understand your business”.
26. Google. Manage your business attributes (Google Business Profile Help; accessibility attributes). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “Attributes show up on your Business Profile on Search, Maps, and other Google platforms”; wheelchair-accessible entrance: “If the entrance to your business is three feet or one meter wide and has no steps or stairs, select Yes”; wheelchair-accessible parking: “If you have a parking spot reserved for people with accessibility needs, select Yes”.
27. American Physical Therapy Association. Direct Access by State (advocacy summary; its data are stated as current as of July 2025). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “While all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, provide some form of direct access to physical therapist services, the specific provisions and limitations differ across jurisdictions”; “Please note that the data below is current as of July 2025”.
28. American Physical Therapy Association, ChoosePT. Physician referral not needed (consumer health tip). “Certain insurance plans may still require a referral. Some states may limit the duration or type of treatment that can be provided without one”. Checked October 23, 2026.
29. eCFR. 42 CFR 424.24 Requirements for medical and other health services furnished by providers under Medicare Part B (current text, paragraph (c)). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “(c) Outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services”; “If the plan of treatment is established by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech-language pathologist, the certification must be signed by a physician or by a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant who has knowledge of the case”; “Recertification is required at least every 90 days”.
30. Google. Understand Google updates on your Business Profile (Google Business Profile Help). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “If sources report that your profile info is incorrect or outdated, Google may update your profile”; “Blue: Shows info changed by Google”; “Once notified, you have 4 days to accept or reject the suggestion”; “If you don’t respond within 4 days, Google may automatically publish the update if it is supported by other publicly available information, such as your business website”.
31. Google. About automated calls and texts from Google to your business (Google Business Profile Help). Checked October 23, 2026.
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    “Google’s posts on your behalf are available only to businesses with a verified Business Profile. You can opt out of this option at any time”; “To save businesses time and effort updating their info, Google might post an update to your Business Profile on your behalf. The updates are based on the info you provide through automated phone calls, texts, or WhatsApp messages”; “Whenever Google uses info from your conversation to post on your behalf, you receive an email notification of the update. You can then review or remove that post”; to opt out: “Select More Business Profile settings Advanced settings”; “Under “Google automated calls and text messages,” you can turn these features on or off”; one of them is “Post to your profile on your behalf”.

Medical disclaimer. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is general guidance on running a therapy practice, not legal, compliance, billing or financial advice. Google updates these features and policies, so check its Help pages in the sources before you rely on a detail.