My
father-in-law, let’s call him Joe, is eighty something years young. He enjoys a robust life. Well, except for the part that he’s missing. The part
where his vision has declined to the point that he’s unable to focus on what’s
ahead in the road or read anything that’s NOT IN LARGE PRINT. Or the part of
life he’s missing because the television volume is too high for conversation
with others. Sure there are proven methods for diagnosing and dealing with these
two issues. Each backed by science and enough bits of anecdotal evidence to
convince even the most skeptical patient. But some people just don’t get it.
Maybe
Joe’s reluctance to address the issue(s) is in part due to misinformation
regarding the tests. Perhaps it’s the negative reviews (i.e. glasses make me
look old, hearing aids squeal) shared by some users. Maybe it’s the notion that
the solution is too expensive. But it could also be the ostrich putting his
head in the sand and choosing to ignore facts because he doesn’t want to know
what he’s missing. Oops. That got a little personal didn’t it?
But
patients aren’t alone in this sort of “If I can ignore it then I don’t need
it.” approach to some things. Take for
example the idea of you using social media in your health care practice. What
if your approach to that was similar to my father-in-law’s approach to his
issues? It might look a little like this:
Misinformation.
The notion that you can’t
create a plan and measure it’s effectiveness is not true. You need some
software and a little experience but it’s not nearly as difficult as your board
exams. There are ways to measure interactions as simple as the preview window
on the Facebook administrator’s page. And methods to analyze the flow of traffic
from there to your website are as easy and free as Google Analytics. So Joe, you
can see and hear if you want to.
Negative Reviews.
Like that pair of glasses Joe needs, everything
takes a little getting used to. Smudges on the lens in the form of negative
comments on your page are
a matter of attention and adjustment. You need a plan to proactively address
negative comments and to avoid accidental HIPAA violations. Listen to what Dr.
Jeff Livingston, OB/GYN and social media pioneer says about it all, “I don’t think it’s that hard
(to avoid HIPAA violations). If you step
out of technology and just think about how doctors communicate throughout the
day, they do it very naturally and never think about it.” So Joe, other people
are wearing glasses and doing just fine.
Costs.
Being on Facebook is expensive. Forget
that. The applications are free. Yes, you’ll need a communications person on
your the team but you may already have that person in the form of a marketing
partner or staffer. Think about it this way, it’s less an issue of cost than it
is opportunity lost. A study once showed that each Facebook “like” is worth
$125. Maybe it’s more or less depending on the industry you’re in. But a doctor
told me, “If we add one new patient through our social media spend you, we’ve paid
for one year of service.” That’s his math. Can you hear me now, Joe?
Nobody really cares.
Maybe you think that your
generation of patients isn’t interested in what you have to tweet but the
evidence runs to the contrary. The older patient that you’re caring for may be
part of the fastest growing demographic on Twitter. That platform saw a 79%
increase among those 55 to 64 since last year and grew by nearly 50% on
Facebook during that same time. So even an old-timer like you cares, Joe.
Don’t
be like Joe. Find someone you trust to talk about the health of your practice
marketing, patient education, and patient satisfaction programs. Until then,
can you recommend a good vision and/or hearing specialist for my father-in-law?
