If you work in a successful healthcare facility, chances are that you spend most, if not all, of a business day treating patients. However, in today’s world, where the proportion of US adults using the internet has risen from 8% to 72% since 2005 (1), a significant social media presence can be the difference between a failing practice and a thriving practice.
Luckily, marketing companies can provide that online optimization for doctors who either don’t have the time or who feel intimidated by the immensity of the web. Media marketing is a necessity for any doctor looking to expand their practice.
Telemedicine
Why should you limit your practice just to people in your state? Nowadays, plenty of healthcare appointments are conducted with a smartphone. After all, a doctor is able to speak and inspect their patient during a smartphone conversation. What more do you need in order to form an opinion and prescribe quality medicine?
With telemedicine, doctors won’t have enough minutes in a day to meet with all of their patients. Plus, telemedicine greatly reduces those inevitable patient no-shows. Even someone stuck in traffic should be able to attend their telehealth appointment. Lastly, telehealth allows doctors to cut down on expenses dramatically. Theoretically, you could conduct a telehealth appointment just as easily from your living room as you could from a leased office.
Media sharing sites
Besides gaining new patients, the internet can be an excellent source of education for doctors. Virtually, every doctor uses the internet to communicate with each other. There is no better way for you to learn what is going on in the industry, than by communicating with other doctors.
Many sites are essential tools to doctors by providing a secure platform that allows them to share clinical observations and information free of charge. Unsure of prescribing a drug or a device? These websites offer an unsolicited and peer-to-peer dialog that can lend some guidance to medicinal uncertainty.
Market practice to a larger audience
Gone are the days when word of mouth was your only advertising. Today, if a practice wants to survive, it must compete with other practices across the country. The internet is the best way to increase a practice’s popularity.
Social Media Sites that Can Best be Used to Increase Online Presence
You should strive to enhance your online presence. A schedule should be implemented, in which each of the following sites is updated with blogs or articles every day. Such a task may seem overwhelming. However, once you get the hang of social media, it’ll be like making a cup of coffee. In addition, interaction with interested potential patients is imperative. Sometimes, a new patient can be had with nothing more than an intelligent and helpful response.
One of the first tools a prospective patient will use to research potential doctors is Facebook. At 2.9 billion users, Facebook is the world’s most popular social media site. Facebook allows users to post reviews of certain doctors. While this feature can be a good doctor’s best friend, it could theoretically ruin a doctor. Unfavorable posts pop up all the time. If your site receives one, be sure to reply and attempt to pacify the unsatisfied patient.
Pinterest users are mostly women. Considering that most healthcare decisions are made up by mothers, Pinterest offers you a wealth of potential. People usually visit Pinterest to solve a problem. A practice is in a great position on Pinterest to satisfy many users. 67% of Pinterest users are younger than 40, making the site one of the best ways to market to this age group.
LinkedIn is a B2B social network. The site is commonly used by doctors to network with others in the industry. The site can also check resumes and find potential employees.
The internet can connect you with practically every person in the country. No other tool is more advantageous for a doctor than the internet. You should visit the most popular social media sites every day to learn industry news, communicate with potential patients as well as marketing their practice to a wider audience.
