A new article from Physician’s Money Digest argues physicians can benefit from social media’s power, and those who don’t harness the power of the internet could end up losers in the future.
Here are five key thoughts:
1. Around 70 percent of millennial would choose primary care physicians based on family and friends, according to Nuance; 90 percent in a PwC Health Research Institute said they trust medical information shared on social media networks.
2. People are increasingly relying on social media to communicate with friends and family as well as stay current on the news and educate themselves about their communities.
3. Social media could be a great tool, but it could also hurt a provider’s reputation. Physicians and practices should monitor social media to ensure an appropriate response to negative comments.
4. Physicians with a social media presence can attract new patients, but be careful not to violate HIPAA with online discussions. Instead, physicians can focus on posting updates about healthy lifestyles or new findings in the field, according to the article.
5. Tracking social media’s return-on-investment is difficult. There are analytics tools, but it’s hard to connect the analytics to failures or success. Social media should be part of a larger integrated communication plan.
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