Physician engagement on social media

Managing professional reputations online

You have social media covered. Your hospital tweets regularly, engages in conversation on Facebook, uploads videos to YouTube, builds circles on Google+, and even pins photos on Pinterest. However, the marketing department isn’t the only one that needs an online presence. Are your physicians using social media to connect with patients professionally? Here’s why they should.

According to a survey conducted by Avvo, 73% of patients research physicians online, and a survey conducted by the National Research Corporation showed that 41% of patients search for medical information on social media sites such as Facebook. These patients, now called “e-patients,” search for and read patient reviews, disciplinary history, physicians’ resumes and published articles in order to make an informed decision, rather than relying on referrals or word-of-mouth.

What are patients finding about your physicians online? More importantly, what are they saying? There is a conversation going on whether your physicians choose to participate, or choose to ignore it.

Developing an online presence allows physicians to contribute to this conversation and respond to patient questions, concerns, and laudable comments alike. It is a way for physicians to present themselves as they want patients to view them and their practice or hospital, rather than relying on others’ content.

Dr. Howard Luks, a member of the External Advisory Board for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, said: “the most meaningful reason to establish a presence is that patients can find you and perhaps learn a bit more about your perspective, approach and rapport with your patient base.”

Utilizing the more popular social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, aren’t the only ways to connect with patients online. An alternative is participating in Q&A platforms, such as Avvo. These platforms allow patients to post basic health questions, which are then answered by licensed, board-certified medical professionals. Many patients (about half, according to Avvo’s survey) turn to online forums before visiting their doctors to gain background information so appointment time is not wasted.

Another advantage to establishing an online presence is reputation management. Creating content on a blog, Facebook page, or Twitter account won’t prevent patients from making negative comments, but it will “drown out or dilute content or comments that exist on many of these physician grading platforms when a patient performs a Google search of your name,” said Dr. Luks. If you have a website that generates content, you can control your messages and ensure that a lot of quality information will pop up in the first page of your Google search.

According to Dr. Luks, 65% of patients would be willing to switch to a physician who utilizes social media and a strong digital presence can result in up to 15-20% new patients. Social media is not a passing fad. Are your physicians utilizing this medium?

References/To learn more:

Establishing a Digital Presence For Healthcare Professionals by Howard Luks, M.D.

People Increasingly Seeking Medical Help Online, Study Finds by Leigh McMillan