Hey Doc, Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion and Scarecrow each had a need. To know the way home, to have a heart, to have courage and to have a brain were the things each thought if achieved would make their situation better. They were delighted to learn that there was someone who might have within his know-how the ability to see those hopes fulfilled. To find him, they had to know the way. To achieve their goals, they had to connect with him.

Finding You

The yellow brick road isn’t what it used to be. In the past, the way to find you might have been through the phone book, a web search or the occasional referral.  Dorothy had the Good Witch and Munchkins on her side. “Follow the yellow brick road,” they said. Your patient’s yellow brick road is social media.

Healthcare research tell us that:

• Over one-third of consumers use social media for health-related activities
• 40% seek reviews of treatments, physicians, and other patient experiences
• 45% say information from social media sources affects their decisions

The Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow heard about The Wizard through Dorothy as she made her way along the yellow brick road. Hey, one good referral begets another. Today those referrals happen at the speed of “like” and the yellow brick road that your patient is traveling is social media.

Overcoming Adversity

Like Dorothy's journey, the road to your patient’s goal is wrought with challenges. These include bad information sources, consumers with negative experiences and others with special interests (no, I’m not going to call the pharmaceutical companies the Wicked Witch or insurers her flying monkeys). Dorothy would occasionally get a word from the Good Witch to keep her going. Dorothy trusted her. Likewise, your patients need an ongoing connection with someone. They trust you.

• 73% would welcome social media based tools to make appointments or ask a question
• Consumers are much more likely to trust social media information from their doctors or hospital, less likely to trust insurers or drug companies (oops, I wasn’t suppose to mention them).
• Patients want you there for them in sickness and health. Yet 70 percent say their doctor has never checked on them when they weren't sick in order to help them stay healthy. 

Social media is driving these expectations and could be the avenue for meeting it.

Knowing You’re Real, Involved and Have Answers

At first, the Wizard tried to bluff Dorothy and her companions. Of course we know that’s not you. But the 21^st century version of this is the unwillingness to share information – even if the information is tough to reckon with. Heck, the Wizard told Dorothy and her friends that they’d have to kill the Wicked Witch to achieve their goals. Your patient is often fighting no less real an advisory in the form of some chronic disease. But like Dorothy and company, they’re up to it if that’s what you prescribe. Don’t send them out alone. Your being involved will improve the likelihood of their success and could even impact your bottom line.

Keep in mind these folks aren’t simply social, they’re social and on-the-go. Communicating along the yellow brick road requires some connectivity. What’s that mean?

•  Surveys say 25 percent of people forget to take medications as prescribed. You can have a  positive impact on health and reduce costs with something as simple as a text message.
•  Nearly 20 percent of patients cancel or miss appointments, at an average cost of $236 per. You can improve this via mobile and social connections for patients who are hard to reach and want varied modes of interaction
• With 50 percent of U.S. citizens on smartphones today and 40 million U.S. consumers coming under coverage with the Affordable Care Act, you have to make social/mobile part of your strategy.

We know how the story ends. Dorothy makes it home. The Lion gets his courage. The Tin Man his heart. And the Scarecrow his brain. Thriving patients with realized expectations. But the good news doesn’t end there. The Wizard gets what he wants as well. A little less time behind the curtain and a little more time to see the world.

Let's talk. I'm on twitter as @timbigfish or email me tim@gobigfishgho.com