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, Your Year to Connect

This year you’ll have 1000s of additional codes to choose from when you’re commenting on a patient file. You’ll have the challenge of meeting somewhat subjective patient performance expectations to maximize insurance reimbursements. And you’ll have more checkboxes to click in the EHR on your way to proving meaningful use. Sounds awful.

So, how will you make this a great year? You’ll connect.

Oh, not to technology though it’ll be there to facilitate the connections. But to people in ways that have proven challenging for some but profitable for others. And by ways, I mean social media, smartphone apps, and iPads. Still it’s not about the ways, it’s about the connection. It’s about the patient.

So, I thought you might enjoy three ideas that could help you achieve your purpose – the best health for your patients – and frankly help you suffer the codes, surveys and systems. Choose any one of them and you’ll be back to medicine.

First, use Social Media.

By now you’re aware that the tools we call social media have permeated our culture. They’ve raised expectations for openness. And they created expectations of connectedness. Here, however, are three specific platforms and ways to improve connections.

Facebook – yeah, the growth of teens has slowed but they’re not your patient. Make Facebook a place to share information that is helpful to others but not about others. Do this one thing, find a trusted content source and wrap your brand around it.

Pinterest – women are the primary decision makers when it comes to healthcare. Start a Pinterest account and make three boards. One should be the role of diet on those who have health issues related to your specialty. The second, a board the features exercise tips that benefit your patient community. And the third board, inspiration. Offer encouraging quotes, images of famous survivors or champions, and images that rest the soul.

Instagram – yeah, you’re right it’s for pictures. It’s the fastest growing and most popular app among the next generation of decision makers. Know how to take a picture of anything from equipment, to your staff, to things that give others a glimpse into what you find relevant.

Second, find an app. Don’t make one. Find one.

Sure you could make one but that’s really not necessary. There are hundreds of health apps that can make a difference in the wellbeing of your patient and might even prove helpful to you. We’ve written about them in Memphis Medical News. Click here to learn more in less than 700 words.

Third, tell a story.

iPads and fancy e-readers are the top of a lot of Christmas lists this year.  And you can put them to work for your practice. This idea is especially useful if your patients have chronic illness (i.e. diabetes), potentially life threatening diseases (i.e. cancer) or are expecting children (i.e. obstetrics, gynecology or pediatrics). It starts by imagining that you’re sitting with a patient to tell them what you do, what they might expect through the time you spend together, who your referring specialties are, what technologies you’ll use, resources that others find helpful and are willing to do so in a manner that deepens relationship instead of sending them around the web finding these things on their own.

Hey Doc, 

Don’t do these things because everyone else is doing them.

Do them because it will help improve the connection between you and your patient community. It will improve the nature of the dialogue that occurs when you’re with a patient or trying to explain an issue to the patient’s family.

Do it because it creates a deeper connection between you and the patient. A connection that new codes and checkbox-rich EHR systems don’t understand but that you know will lead to better health outcomes.

Do it because you’re a care giver; a healer. You’re all about the patient.

Do it because in this age of systems and policy changes, the one thing that can always change for the better is your relationship with those who count on you; the patient.

Yep, this year you’ll be asked (heck required) to do a lot of things. So, why not do at least one thing you like? 

Hey Doc, Your Website is Dead

Remember the Tamagotchi? It was popular with teens and preteens in the late 1990s. Owners of these pocket-sized toys were told, “The Tamagotchi is a tiny pet from cyberspace that needs your love to survive and grow. If you take good care of your Tamagotchi pet, it will slowly grow bigger, healthier and more beautiful every day. If you neglect your little cyber creature, it may grow up to be mean or ugly.”

The question or game of it all was to know, “How old will your Tamagotchi be when it returns to its home planet?” Or, as the kids knew, before it died.  Its survival was up to the owner, or virtual caretaker as the toy manufacturer referred to them. But its death was inevitable. As with everything else that comes into the life of a child, it runs its course. The ecosystem for the pet would change considerably if the owner discovered the opposite sex, lost his backpack, was grounded, joined a cheer or sports team, or otherwise got busy with something more interesting than the digital pet in their pocket.

It’s that way in the real world too.

We live in an always tuned in, on-the-go world where apps own every conversation and Facebook is the Internet. Yet, you have a website that like that forgotten Tamagotchi hasn’t adapted to the changes in the (web) ecosystem. And now? It’s dead.

It’s dead to the referring physician upon whom you rely for business development.

It’s dead to prospective patients who rely on it to determine the role you might play in their care beyond medical jargon and outdated resources.

It’s dead to the caregiver, referring physician or healthcare partner who learns through images and video.

And it’s dead to anyone who might dare expect to connect, gather or interact with you when they’re sitting with an ailing family member or on the bleachers at soccer practice.

It’s dead because five changes occurred within the web ecosystem and you failed to adapt.

The web became about shared experiences. People want to be where their friends are and where people with shared values or common interests and concerns can interact.

The web became about personalization. People want to know that you know who they are.  You have to know what returning audiences find useful, recognize what they need more of and allow them to share what they’ve found useful elsewhere.

The web became about engagement. Users are no longer content to simply look at your info. They want to talk about it. Leave comments. Share ideas. See comments from others. See comments from you regarding their comments.

The web became mobile. Smartphone ownership is a pandemic. Your website has to have meaningful functionality and legible text on the smartphone form factor. For many, it has become the preferred touch point. But at the very least it must be a capable companion to the desktop experience.

The web became more visual. Pictures are still worth a thousand words. And they are among the most valuable assets your website can use to communicate your values, present your service, educate your audience and entice them to share what they learned on your site with others through a variety of sharing utilities.

What happened to the web ecosystem? It became social. You know social, right?

It’s that thing you do every time you share an article, click like, reply to a friend’s comment, upload a photo or subscribe to content from those who engage and inform you. And it’s not just for Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. It should drive your website strategy.

People on social websites feel like somebody. And while you might not have noticed, sites that use social plugins and methods have empowered your patients and their friends. They’ve set an expectation for something more than well, what you’re doing on your website.

The Tamagotchi had a speaker. It was the cyber pet’s mouth, so to speak. Certain tones or beeps would convey the pet’s status – I need water. I need sleep. I need you to play with me – it’s plea that you’d something.

So, consider this your website’s plea for you to do something. The savvy Tamagotchi pet owner knew how to reset the toy when he or she recognized it was near death. I bet I know a kid or two who might be able to reset your website. And now you know what must be done for it to “grow bigger, healthier and more beautiful every day.”

Giving & The Intangibles

We give away ideas and that makes some people nervous. But we do so because we're in an era when the willingness to share is evidence of progress toward a more social form of business. A way of doing things that says, "we know that our success truly is tied to yours. So, we're going to share some ideas. We're going to hear some from you. And then we're going to do something that matters, together."

I get that this is an intangible notion. But, we’re involved in four marketplaces that revolve around intangibles. We serve membership organizations, health care providers, educators and philanthropies. Intangibles. But let’s be careful. Intangible doesn’t mean it can’t be built. It doesn’t mean it can’t be measured. It doesn’t mean it can’t be segmented. And, it doesn’t mean it can’t be monetized. But it does mean you’ll have to live it.

You’ll have to live it because often times the only evidence of a brand’s intangibles is how they manifest in the lives of those who represent or who have a relationship with the brand.

I think it’s pretty clear to the community when you’re living your brand’s intangibles and when you’re not. And if you’re brand is about helping others connect in ways that might lead to their personal development, enable their well-being, drive toward achievement of their aspirations or empowerment them – then you better be practicing what you believe even when it doesn't translate into business.

One of our intangibles revolves around people, their ideas, and what we give away. This past week I was challenged regarding the logic of that. One expert told me, “Your ideas, like mine, are inventory. You need to make people pay for them.” I said, “You don’t know me very well. Most of my ideas serve only to demonstrate to others that like them we have ideas. And then through conversation they learn that unlike many of them, we have the know-how to do get ideas done (our ideas and theirs). 

Still with me? Well, I have an idea for you. We’ll call it “giving to be social”. It's risk free and it might be good practice. By social I mean to benefit others. By giving I mean sharing intangibles. And by “we’ll” I mean all of us.

Consider this list of things that my friends at Bigfish suggest could be given freely, without spending any money:

Give love

Give a hand

Give a pat on the back

Give a word of encouragement

Give Hope

Give yourself

Give someone a chance

Give all you have

Give your best

Give your heart

Give a hug

Give a smile

We can all do that. Right? Each of the items on the list requires putting ourselves out there a bit. Sort of like sharing an idea but without having to actually have an idea. You're just sharing something that might prove of value to them.

At Bigfish, we have ideas. We share them to start a dialogue. We give in part as a response to the shared interests found in conversation. And we're learning that no matter have much of it we do, we never run out of it.

The Web Isn't Dead But Your Website Is

In an on-the-go world where apps own every conversation and Facebook is the Internet, you have a website that might best be described as a brochure. Guess what? Your website is dead.

It’s dead to me. And it’s dead to anyone else who might happen to browse by it on the way to a site that enables interaction with brand representatives and the community of others who enjoy spending time there.

You know interaction, right?

It’s that thing you do every time you share content, click a like button, leave a comment, upload a photo or subscribe to a dynamic stream of content that engages and informs you. It’s a social experience. It takes place on a social website.

When you’re on a social website, you’re somebody. You’re a person with an opinion that might influence product development. You’re somebody with a network of friends and your opinion means everything to them. And the brand knows it.

Sure, you still like to read and learn on a website but you also you have something to say. You’re a social person. And any website that doesn’t know that is, well, dead.

Want to talk about it? Use the comment feature below. I’m trying to be more social.