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, 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, Oh Yes They Are

For the better part of the Social Era physicians have decried the use of social media among their target demographic: grownups and the elderly. But guess what? Dads, Moms and even Grandma are all up in social media tools like Facebook and it’s time you connected with her there.

In fact, a recent Pew Internet Research study found that 71% of adults online are on Facebook and that’s up from this time last year. Really, parents and grandparents are the only real growth areas for Facebook with 45% of people 65 years and older using Facebook. However, it’s not the only site to see growth.

Twitter saw growth among adults. But it’s Pinterest that has the most momentum as over 1/3 of all women surveyed about online use report using the image and idea sharing platform to curate inspiration, health tips, recipes, fashion and other topics – often from people like you.

Okay, let’s admit it. Most of the people offering these bits of hope and information are not nearly as well qualified as you to share ideas in a way that might lead to improved health.

I’m going to guilt you into this. You should be using social media if for no other reason than to make sure that at least some of what women are curating makes sense in the context of a healthy lifestyle.

Hey when grandma falls down and can’t get up, we want her to have a button to push for help. But when we’re trying to coach mothers, grandmothers and other adults we’re willing to let the purveyors of gimmicks lead the way. It’s time for an intervention.

Want more evidence in the case for your being present online?

From a recent study, 54% of patients are very comfortable with their providers seeking advice from online communities to better treat their conditions. It’s evidence that many trust that crowd sourcing of information from other likeminded individuals is reliable. This shows how people perceive social media to be beneficial for the exchange of information about their health. Why shouldn’t you be the one from whom they curate it?

Need a business reason?

41% of people said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. This shows that social media can be a vehicle to help scale positive word of mouth, which makes it an important channel for an individual or organization in the health care industry to focus on in order to attract and retain patients. Consumers are using social media to discuss everything in their lives including health and it is up to your organization to choose whether it’s time to tune in.

How about peer pressure?

Lest you think it’s just patient talking, here’s this from professionals like you: 60% of doctors say social media improves the quality of care delivered to patients.

Wow! So there are doctors (maybe you’re one of them) who believe that the transparency and authenticity that social media helps spur is actually improving the quality of care provided to patients.

So if you’re still saying, “My patient demographic and providers like me don’t take social media seriously” and that “neither patient or doctor is there” – I say, oh yes they are.

Want to talk about it? Hit me up on twitter @timbigfish

Hey Doc, I Hope You'll Try This

The most important part of your social media presence is not what your hospital or practice has to say, but what your patients have to say – especially to one another. Peer-to-peer interaction is the heart of social media. Likewise, it’s an important variable in the health care.

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, more that 7 out of 10 Internet users living with a chronic illness have gone online to find other people with similar health issues. As a trusted source for health care information, you can use social media to reinforce that role by creating a channel for their connectivity. Your effort provides value and supports patients during their journey to wellness.

Unfortunately, too much of what happens in a health care brand’s social media strategy is marketing and public relations centric. “We’re sponsoring a 5K.” “We have the best doctors.” And so on.

What if instead of posting content that merely announces information, you published open-ended content that creates engagement and starts conversation?

Treating your social media as a sort of water cooler for conversations allows you to move in and out of it as teacher and learner. It enables conversations wherein your patients and their friends as fans and followers learn from one another.

Did I just make this up? Nope. “These (social media) tools help us reach so many more people; we can bring shared interactions into our practice and that is powerful. This isn’t in addition to your job. This is part of your job.  This is a conversation, and that is what we are trained to do. We can engage learners, patients and peers,” Farris Timimi, M.D., medical director for the Mayo Clinic Center.

And, social media allows patients to have the conversation that you’re often reluctant to have – the one that says, “it’s going to be alright”.

It starts with “I’m newly diagnosed” or “My loved one is going through a difficult treatment” and all they’re really looking for is somebody who’s been there and can tell them what to expect.

Patients and their friends are hoping to find answers, information, advice and perhaps empathy. They are hoping to find someone who truly “gets it” or who shares their experience and has made it through. They’re even hoping for an opportunity to share hope with another.

You’re not a cynic. You’ve just been conditioned to focus on the serious business of medicine. But that sometimes gets in the way of the hope and promise of medicine - which is what most patients see as medicine’s role.

This notion of hope and connectivity was recently affirmed by a little social experiment. My teammates built a wall, placed it on a street corner in Memphis for one day and invited people to leave a thought related to health. We called it the “I wish you well” wall. There were over 1000 post-it-notes left on the wall and dozens taken by those who happened by.

We learned that patients, family members, friends and passers-by generally want the best for others. They’re notes were hopeful, often funny, sometimes poignant and full of promise. The notes were personal yet widely applicable.

We know that patients want to connect with you, but they also want to connect with one another. You don’t have time to build a wall for post-it-notes. So, use your social media presence to make it happen.

Post a subject header like “What’s the most meaningful thing a friend has done for you during your treatment?”

Your efforts will lead to connections, enable shared experiences and fuel a little hope for better health outcomes.

Come on. Try it. I wish you well. 

Hey Doc, What Women Want

In the 2000 film, “What Women Want”, Mel Gibson plays the part of a sexist guy working in an ad agency. He suffers a sort of semi-electrocution. Instead of killing him, it gives him a super power. He’s suddenly able to hear what women are thinking! As such, he can better connect his marketing messages (and a few other messages – but that’s a different sort of article) to their thoughts. Pretty powerful stuff, huh?

The movie is full of marketing lessons – even for us, Doc. After all, we know that women influence many of the health care decisions in a family. They typically schedule the appointment for their husbands, they definitely plan out the health services for their children, and they’re also taking care of their aging parents.

Among other things, the film reminds us that a consumer’s buying behavior is largely driven by irrational fears, frustrations, hopes and volatile emotions. It’s that way with patients, too.

So, how do you address that? You pin. Specifically, you join the popular social media site known as Pinterest and develop community around it.

Why? Well, first, because women are there. Here’s a little science for you - 80% of Pinterest users are females (mostly adults) and half of them have children.

The Director of Communications for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance says that, for her, “The tipping point with Pinterest was when I noticed that people were actually pinning images from our [web] site.”

(Teaching Moment: Doc, pinning means that the website user is choosing an image from your page to share with her friends on Pinterest. Think “liking” on Facebook but with pictures. Lots of pictures.)

She added, “I can see that our community is actually using this and they are finding visuals that they want to share… [we decided that we need to] make sure that we’re part of that conversation.” You should too. They’ve been on Pinterest now for over a year.

Still, that’s just a place right? Sort of. It’s also a state of mind.

Virtually all advertising appeals to emotion instead of logic because emotions are far more powerful when it comes to influencing behavior.

In the film’s climactic scene (the Nike pitch), we saw how specific we have to be in addressing the fears, frustrations, and emotional impulses of the women with whom we hope to connect.

But how can we find out what these (often hidden) emotions and irrational fears are? First, you gain trust. 80% of the women using Pinterest say they trust it. It’s likely that you can become part of that trusted community. But first, you’re going to have to do some pinning.

You can start by knowing what’s popular and how it relates to your specialty.

The top five subjects on Pinterest revolve around Home, Arts, Style/Fashion, Food, and Inspiration with a strong surge related to Health/Fitness. And there’s a conversation, largely in the form of pinning items that others have curated, inviting others to pin to your board, and following people or brands that pin things that resonate with you.

How do these top five subjects relate to health?

Home – Women living with children, aging parents, or disabled family members want to make a safe, livable space without compromising style. They pin.

Arts – What about images that soothe a discomforted soul or a recovering patient? Pin some.

Style/Fashion – Hey, not everything is science here, but I’ve seen pins of maternity fashion or things women might aspire to wear that would help inform some of the health care decisions. Find someone pinning those and re-pin them.

Food – Recipes rule on Pinterest. Almost any medical condition can be affected in a positive way through a healthy diet. Do you know the foods that might whet the appetite of your patient and help her to achieve a healthy lifestyle? Pin some.

Inspiration – Maybe it’s scripture. But it could be images.  Nature inspires. Movies inspire. Heroes inspire. Offer your patient an ideal to pursue by pinning about it.

Health/Fitness – Like food, there are few health conditions that aren’t improved by regular diet and exercise. Pin some tips.

Hey Doc, this may sound a bit crazy but marketing is full of crazier stuff than this. Imagine what thoughts you would hear from Pinterest users. If you’re pinning, then you’re part of the conversation. And when you re-pin or invite others to pin with you? You just might start hearing what women want.