Hey Doc, What It Is

Are you still trying to decide if there a return-on-investment available through the use of social media? While you’re waiting you’re losing. Losing future dollars. Losing relevance. The value of your voice in the community is depreciating as patient-driven physicians are amassing new wealth in the form of clout. Clout with future patients and clout eventually becomes dollars.

Those doctors or healthcare organizations aren’t necessarily better at medicine than you. They’re simply better at culture. Your value proposition in the marketplace is what you know about achieving positive health outcomes. You’re pretty good at connecting that to a patient’s experience in the exam room, through a prescription or in surgery. But how’re you doing out there?  You know, online via social media. 

Still looking for something to prove it’s the right thing for you? Well, how about letting me debunk some health care social media myths for you.  You know, tell you what it is (and what it’s not).

It’s not a road to nowhere. It is a path to connectivity with patients, their families, future patients and others who influence health choices. 

It is a way for you to maintain a general conversation with the community that demonstrates a willingness to share information that might make a difference in their wellbeing. By the way, people who share make more friends. Friends refer friends. Friends are patients, too.

It’s not date night. Your patients are not asking you to out to dinner.  They’re simply looking to connect through their preferred channel. And this one has emerged to be that.

It is by all evidence an affordable conduit to the future as those with options choose providers, and those within plans sort one doctor or organization from another based on word of mouth, ratings, and social media manner—like bedside manner but on your smartphone.

It’s not a drive through window. Patients are not likely to ask for a diagnosis of some ailment. They’re too private for that. They’re just looking for something that might help them sift through clues about what ails them and you’re their most trusted source for that kind of information.

Look, I don’t profess to know much about making money but I have learned this, people connect with those who care. And caring starts with sharing.  Social Media is that.

Hey Doc, Best Practices

You attended years of school and training. But by now you know that there’s more to being a doctor than what you learned in the classroom. Sure, a suture can heal and the right medication can manage the in-between time. But a smile goes along way toward the same and a word of encouragement moves a patient toward their best outcome. 

So, what have we learned about social media that might make a difference in your practice? After all, there’s more to doing it right than merely creating an account and updating your Facebook status or Twitter feed. The technology is several years into its use life. You’d think most doctors would have figured this out by now. But a recent review of the top healthcare brands in our community taught me that they haven’t. 

However, you can demonstrate social media savvy and connect with patients by using these Best Practices as a guide:

Enable More Voices. It’s difficult to build community without conversation. Creating good content isn’t good enough. Invite trusted sources to guest post on your page. Host a Facebook Q&A with a physician from your team. Get a conversation started. And don’t be afraid of what you hear. Helping people get it right makes you the most valuable voice in the community.

Avoid Broadcasting. Announcements don’t compel interaction (see Enable More Voices). If your social media presence is largely dedicated to announcements regarding office hours, new staff members and new services – you’re Charlie Brown’s school teacher. Sure she had important information to share but all the kids heard was, “Wah, wah, wah.”

Patients Look for Themselves. I’m sorry to report this but people want to know if your brand advocates (those who like your social media pages) have anything in common with them. Potential new patients are smart and have learned to use your Facebook wall as a place to find out who makes up your community. If they don’t see people like themselves, they’ll be less inclined to connect.  We’re clearly not advocating excluding any one. We are encouraging you to be intentional in your marketing. A grandmother who likes a pediatrician’s page is not nearly as good a match to potential new patient as a young woman who does.

Raise Your Hand. Okay, that’s code for “buy some ads”. Facebook advertising is relatively inexpensive but there is a right and wrong way to do it. Here’s a simple truth: Facebook changed the algorithm that determines what percentage of your target audience sees your posts shrinking your natural reach. If you want all, most or more than a single digit percentage to connect with you there, you’re going to have to buy ads and boost your posts with ad dollars.

But more than anything else, it’s about this...

Know What They Want. If your OBGYN practice wants to reach women, maybe you should share some content from SELF Magazine. But it’ll be more meaningful if a member of your physician staff has a commentary on the subject and can connect it to those in your practice community in a personal way. What they want is to know what you think.

Maybe you’ve heard some of this before but by judging the social media pages of your peer network, nobody’s listening.  You can be a leader in empowering a healthcare community who in turn advocates for your brand and sees you as among the best practices.

Hey Doc, 10 Things You Said to Me

We’ve been meeting together here for a few years. I’ve shared a few thoughts with you and though most of you don't want to talk about it here, you do tell me through phone calls, in-person, email and direct messages on social media. So, want to know what your peers are talking about? I thought you might. So, here are the Top 10 Things Your Peers Say to Me About Social Media (whew, that title):

1      1.     I’m not sure how to say what needs to be said.

      Sure you are. You say it every day. Start there: the blinking cursor is simply a patient who has asked you an important question about her care. Patients like doctors with good bedside manner.

2      2.     It’s too hard to keep up but I need to appear timely.

       Well then, use social media to follow sources that you trust. Simply share or retweet their posts. You’ll  appear helpful and connected. Patients like connected health care providers.

3      3.     Just sharing data makes me sound robotic but I can’t share patient information.

       Ah, the HIPAA excuse. You’re right. But you can provide insight on common problems through your  personal story. Patients like other humans.

4      4.     There’s so much misinformation. I don’t want to be part of that crowd.

      Good for you but by not being there you’re part of the problem. Use social media to dispel common myths patients may have about treatment options by sharing truths. Patients like a trusted source. And to them, that’s always been you.

5       5.     I just want to practice medicine.

       You can and your impact can be far reaching. Use social media to help patients cope with their conditions by providing tips for managing common problems. There you go, practicing medicine. No paperwork to complete.

6      6.     I want to be part of the community.

      Then create one. You have built in neighbors. Use the “groups” feature in Facebook to build a wall around your neighborhood. Or, run it open allowing your patients to invite their friends and family to participate.  Patients like to connect their friends to someone who knows and cares about them and people like them.

7      7.     I’m focused patient retention. I don’t have time for social media.

      That Doc, is a direct contradiction to the power of social media. Not being present demonstrates indifference. Here’s a poem I wrote for a physician friend of mine:

Act like you give a damn.

Show that you care.

Lose the indifference.

And you’re half-the-way-there.  (thanks for indulging my inner-poet)

        8.     I need to prove exponential return on investment for any investment we make in social media.

      Me, too. Let’s make building a community, also known as developing followers, the first factor in return on investment. And no, that’s not some sales guy talking. We both know we need to be in the market before we can do business development.  People, yeah even patients, like to know that you’re investing in them and getting to know them before we start asking of them.

        9.     I want to make a viral video.

      Did you see the one featuring window-washers in super hero costumes? Look for moments that resonate with your inner child. Most viral videos work because they make us smile. Hey Doc, you don’t have to be funny but you can laugh.

  10.  I don’t have time.

I know. But we meet here once a month and to me, I’d give up our time together if you’d spend it with your patients via social media. Patients, okay doctors too, like people who make time for them.

Hey Doc, What About the New Ones?

Last month I sat with my son as he completed an online application for healthcare insurance via the Affordable Care Act Health Exchanges.  I wasn’t there because he needed my help. He’s smart and web savvy like most of his generation. I’m just into this subject to be helpful to you.

Anyway, he’s off Mom and Dad’s insurance. He’s paying for his healthcare for the first time ever. He’s making his own decision about healthcare providers. He actually wants to get a physical and develop a relationship with a doctor. But surprise, he finds the whole thing exasperating. It’s not for the reason you might think. No, it’s not the money.  His frustration stems from how counter intuitive the process is to the way his generation works.

His frustration is an opportunity for someone. It occurred to me that that someone might be you and that social media might be a way to bridge the communication gap, improve this generation’s perception of the healthcare community/process and drive patients to you.

Here’s how:

First, nearly 90% of those 18 to 24 years of age said they would trust medical information shared by others on their social media networks.  A millennial’s network on social media is a group of people that is well trusted, which again, presents an opportunity to connect with them as healthcare professional in a new and authentic way. Be transparent. Share information that’s helpful, and include how to pay for things. They just want to know.

Second, more than 80% of the millennial generation said that information found via social media affects the way they deal with everything – health, too. Healthcare professionals have an obligation to create educational content to be shared across social media that will help accurately inform this generation about health related issues and squash misleading information. The opinions of others on social media are often trusted but aren’t always accurate, especially when it comes to a subject as sensitive as health.  Be present. Listen as much as you “tweet”.  Share what you’d want your child to know and dialogue with them if they reach out to you. Hey, their doctor’s voice will cut through the online clutter but they also expect to be heard.

Third, about 75% of the 18 to 24 year olds said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor or medical facility. This makes social media important as a tool to help accelerate positive and overcome negative word of mouth. It can attract new patients, minimize missed appointments, retain your patients, and win their referrals. Millennials are using social media to discuss everything in their lives including health and it is up to you to tune in.

Fourth, millennials are the most likely group of social media users to trust social media posts and activity by doctors.  They see doctors as respected members of society (yeah, really) who are also highly revered for their opinions when they are shared on social media, which is even more reason to help boost your reach as a healthcare provider and use social media to discuss health issues, choosing healthcare plans, meeting providers, and getting well.  This may require that you explore some new channels. Think Instagram. This generation is definitely a “show me don’t tell me” community of patients.

Hmmm. Now that I think about it, millennials are not the only ones who can relate to these ideas. The percentages may vary but the impact could be more immediate to your business if middle-aged people find you online. But if you’re thinking about tomorrow and the new patients coming into the healthcare stream, consider connecting with millennials via social media. They’re Moms and Dads will thank you.

Q. 

What are you doing to include this generation in your practice development strategy? 

Hey Doc, What's the Greatest Advance in Medicine?

You’ve been there. On a flight between somewhere and home, seated next to a stranger on their way to some other place. Conversations are usually light if they happen at all. We’re often trying to catch a nap or speeding our way through some sort of work on the laptop before touchdown. But this time I was seated next to a doctor who was winding down a practice he’d only recently sold and headed into what he called “halftime”. His plan was to start a new career. I couldn’t help asking him what he found the most rewarding about the one he was exiting.   

The doctor had been the chief medical officer of a fifteen physician general practice with some areas of specialization but his primary focus was family medicine. I asked, “What do you think have been the top medical advances during you tenure?”  His answer was winding until he decided to focus on the most recent 10 years or so and people.

He was hopeful about the big picture advances like the 2003 announcement that scientists had completed a draft sequencing of the human genome, or all the genes that make up our DNA.

The doctor appreciated the increased application of minimally invasive surgeries, laparoscopic surgery has become the norm for many operations, including gall bladder removal, hernia repair and appendectomies among other things.

And, medications like those that address sexual dysfunction, “in the way that Viagra is used to treat erectile dysfunction,” he said.

I thought out loud, ”That’s quite a journey from mapping the human genome to the bedroom. What do those things have anything in common?”

His answer was quick, “people.”

Of course, people.

It turns out that “relationship” is the thing he will miss most about practicing medicine.  He made the connection this way:

Experts say sequencing each person’s genome would be beneficial to prevent a variety of heart ailments and even obesity. “Just knowing they have a higher risk of obesity could be enough motivation for patients to lead a healthier lifestyle,” he said adding that it was one of the Top 3 issues his clinic addressed with patients.

Laparoscopic surgery matters because patients generally endure less pain, smaller scars and a shorter recovery period. “Patient types who might have tried to live with their conditions in the past were more inclined to seek treatment now. They feared missing work and losing jobs. Less recovery time means less time off the job.”

The pilot interrupted our chat to announce our descent into Memphis. So I asked, “Our time together is limited. I get the people part of the genome and surgical advances but where’s the people part intersect with Viagra?” I felt like an eighth grader.

“Relationships are about people. Medications like Viagra have helped to restore intimate relationships between husbands and wives.” He smiled and said, “These medications aren’t about feeling manly like some TV commercial might suggest. I’ve prescribed them to couples that had drifted apart. During counseling sessions I’d learned that they were no longer having sex and that it was often about the husband’s being physically incapable of performing. Men and women have written to tell me that a prescription to address erectile dysfunction saved their marriage.”

Relationships. People. Of course, it’s why any advance in medicine is relevant. And it’s also why social media matters. People want access to information that might be helpful in treatment of a condition they’re trying to manage or that might inform their ability to be useful to a friend or family member who suffers a medical condition.

Access to information from a trusted voice, like their doctor, could be the advance in medicine that makes the biggest difference in the life of someone in your patient community.  

Map their genome? You may not be doing a personalized sequencing but we’re all learning from those who are.

Prescribe the right medication? Sure, that’s most likely within your realm of authority.

Sharing information that’s helpful? You can. You’re one of the most important people or relationships in a patient’s life. And advances in the use of social media for that purpose have made it one of (what may someday prove to be among) the top advances in medicine.

      Sources:

·            A passenger on Delta Airlines Flight 3743, Row 3, Seat A, Stanford University and CNN Health News

Hey Doc, Patients First on Social Media

The secret of a successful social media strategy starts with who is in the middle. And that’s not any different than the philosophical and practical approach any successful physician or clinic takes to his/her efforts. Well, at least when the patient is the one at the center of the effort.

 I recently read an excerpt from Dr. Toby Cosgrove’s book “The Cleveland Clinic Way” that reminded me how challenging it can be to put the patient at the center of our work. And simultaneously, how imperative it is that we do just that. You may know Dr. Cosgrove as the President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic.

Early on in his efforts toward being “patient centered”, Cleveland Clinic had decided to reassign the reserved parking spaces near the front of its buildings to patients, not doctors. One physician complained, “What’s this, patients first and doctors last?”

Other physicians wondered whether reform promoting kindness and compassion was necessary. They said, “Dr. Smith is kind of mean to people, but he’s a great surgeon” as if that were enough. Being a great is surgeon is about being technically proficient and treating patients well.

Cosgrove recognized that we live in a time when technology has leveled the playing field with respect to the outcomes patients might receive at competing hospitals. But Cleveland Clinic could differentiate itself by treating its patients well and creating a true healing experience.

Through conversations with patients and their families the clinic learned that many were frustrated by access to medical records. So, they made them accessible. They learned that patients found visiting hours to be a major irritant. This info with data they had on the role of family in healing drove a decision to open visiting hours to “whenever…and to spend as much time as they like” with the exception of the Intensive Care Unit.

Look, you’re not reading this to learn what the Cleveland Clinic did or is doing but it seems a fitting metaphor for the things we talk about with social media. So here....

Like the issue with the parking spaces, many think that practice social media policies should revolve around the doctor’s convenience. A policy wherein doctors aren’t directed to share health information via an occasional tweet might be convenient. But it’s not improving patient health outcomes for those with chronic conditions whose Twitter newsfeeds are filled with hash tag rich tweets concerning their disease from every source but you.

Oh sure, there’s always the risk that the “mean doctor” will be exposed via social media through something he says that demonstrates indifference. But in all likelihood, patients and families who share their feelings about “customer satisfaction” on Facebook pages, Yelp and Angie’s List have already exposed him. Help him improve his bedside manner one post or tweet at-a-time. Yeah, bedside manner. Smartphones have become as common on the nightstand as grandma’s dentures. And many – maybe even your grandma - are using social media first thing every day and last thing they do at night.

And then there was this, a Cleveland Clinic team enlisted a designer to create an alternative to the traditional open back gown. Their goal was to address the frequent patient complaints about the indignity and discomfort they suffered when wearing them. Good for them. But, I couldn’t help imagine how much fun it would have been to engage patients in developing a solution via a simple Pinterest board. So I googled “hospital gowns on Pinterest” and got 279,000 results.

Come on, Doc. Let’s be social. By the way, the Cleveland Clinic is great model for that, too. They’re @ClevelandClinic on Twitter. 

Hey Doc, Wake Up Better

It’s easier than ever for someone to give his or her two-cents-worth. In 140 characters you can say whatever you want about almost anything to just about everyone. But hey, times have changed and the cost of an idea is a little higher than it use to be. So if you’re going to say it, make it count. And so we will.

Sleep. That’s it. Sleep. Okay if you want your 99-cents-worth, the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock App for your iPhone or Android phone.

What does an alarm clock have to do with what we write about here? Well, this particular idea involves you, your patient community, your use of social media and mobile. We talk about those things here every month. But this time, instead of talking about it we’re going to do something together.

The wellness benefits to a good night’s sleep are well document and so no matter your specialty, there’s an application for your use of this app and a health benefit to be realized by you and your patient.

Practice Family Medicine?  When you’re sleep deprived, you often feel “worn down” -- and that’s a clue that your body is vulnerable to infection. “Not getting enough sleep makes you more vulnerable to picking up illnesses and not being able to fight them off,” says Donna Arand, PhD, DABSM, clinical director of the Kettering Sleep Disorders Center in Dayton, Ohio.  Can’t convince yourself or your patient that one or the other isn’t getting enough sleep? Let the app help.

Cardiology your area of expertise? Then you know the story. But does your patient? Former President Bill Clinton confessed that he thinks lack of sleep had a lot to do with his hospitalization to unblock a clogged artery (okay, maybe the Big Macs were part of it too but he’s on to something) "I didn't sleep much for a month, that probably accelerated what was already going on," Clinton said. 

He’s probably right. “When you don’t get enough sleep, you have an inflammatory response in your cardiovascular system -- in the blood vessels and arteries -- and that’s not a good thing!” says Arand. “We see the same thing in hypertension. If that sleep deprivation continues long term, chronic inflammation has been linked to things like heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.”

In the Mid-South and Delta Region we’re all aware of the diabetes, okay I’ll say it, epidemic. The key underlying problem in Type 2 Diabetes is insulin resistance, where the body does not make proper use of this sugar-processing hormone. Guess what? When you’re sleep deprived, your body almost immediately develops conditions that resemble the insulin resistance of diabetes.

And it’s not just in those we can spot walking down the street. “In one study of young, healthy adult males, they decreased their sleep time to about four hours per night for six nights,” says Arand. “At the end of those six nights, every one of those healthy young men was showing impaired glucose tolerance, a precursor to developing diabetes.”

Another study found that people in their late 20s and early 30s who slept less than 6.5 hours per night had the insulin sensitivity of someone more than 60 years old.

So, what’s this got to do with the app? Many of us lack the discipline to do even the simplest things to improve our health. But a recent survey found that 9 out of 10 smartphone owners wake up with their smartphone. Maybe we can use that information do something powerful.

You, your patients, our friends, and me are invited to participate in our Wake Up Better Y’all experiment. It's not necessarily scientific but certainly a fun and well-intentioned effort to see if what we do here together can be good for us.

Besides, one of the main features of the app is to wake you up at the right time. Not just the time you set the alarm for but in your lightest sleep phase. When that happens you’re more likely to awake renewed and on the ‘right side of the bed’. And everyone us around will appreciate that.

For more information on the Wake Up Better Y’all experiment and the Sleep Cycle App visit www.wakeupbetteryall.com or hit me up on twitter.

Hat tip to the good people at webMD and Donna Arand, PhD, DABSM, clinical director of the Kettering Sleep Disorders Center in Dayton, Ohio.