Doctors, Social Media and Google+ - All Health Care Professionals can benefit from a strong Google+ presence

Most private practice HCPs (health care professionals) have been focused on Facebook and Twitter for their social media output. It has become clear over the past year that the impact of including Google+ in the plan is probably equally, if not more important. Google is incestuous and wants to engage people with their own web properties. Hence using Google+ allows your activity to be searched on Google and other search engines. Using Facebook only allows content to be distributed to other Facebook users within the constructs of their website. Facebook is a "walled garden." It's great for engaging users that have already "liked" you and their friends, however it holds limited value in engaging users looking for your practice through search engines.

Doctors implementing social media strategies should make sure that Google+ is a key component. Additionally, reputation management sites provide an opportunity to build connections to other patients searching for doctors.

HCP Buzz is committed to providing healthcare professionals (doctors, specialists, dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, and optometrists) with concierge management of their online presence. HCP Buzz is based in Chicago, IL and has clients across the United States. If your practice needs to incorporate social media into its marketing plan or has specific challenges on physician reputation websites, please let us know. We can help!

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Should doctors be "Googling" their patients?

Patients have been "Googling" doctors and health care professionals for years. Physicians are now discussing the value of "googling" their patients. Reminiscent of dialogue from old episodes of House, it's clear that some physicians believe that "Everybody lies" and that there is nothing wrong with going the extra mile and checking the details of information obtained from their patients. Do you believe that physicians are going too far when searching on the internet or looking into social media posts to better understand their patient histories?

The pendulum swings two ways. Physicians have been worried about patient reviews on reputation websites. Now it seems that patients may be worried about physicians looking into the details of their lives. Increased dialogue between patients and their doctors is always important. If patients felt more comfortable and trusting of their Health Care Providers, perhaps there would be less need for subterfuge. Nonetheless, patients will always have things that they want to hide for reasons as simple as not wanting negative information like smoking or drug use included in their medical records. Will that change? Probably not.

Should doctors use the internet to learn more about their patients? Is this ethical? Your opinion as a patient or a physician/health care professional is appreciated.

HCP Buzz assists Health Care Professionals maintain a strong internet presence through a coordinated social media and physician reputation management program. If you are a physician and need help marketing your practice on the internet, navigating social media and managing your online reputation, please let us help.

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The Model Policy and the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure

The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure has adopted the Model Policy. This policy provides guidance on the value of social media in medicine. Specifically, it highlights the potential value to both patients and doctors. Clearly, medicine has moved slowly compared to technology. Over the past ten years, we have seen technology integrate itself into our lives. In medicine, it has been slow. Very very slow. It is still not uncommon to see practices where older doctors make the younger ones take care of their EMR. Many, if not all younger physician carry smartphones but don't leverage the internet with their patients.

Social media and the internet can allow physicians to increase their ability to communicate with other physicians and discuss topics across the country without the need to attend a conference. Additionally, they can use social media to educate patients to improve patient care.

Young physicians are connecting with their friends through Facebook and maybe Twitter. They know social media. They just don't know that social media can be used effectively to connect to their patients. Older Physicians have heard horror tales of social media and HIPPA compliance issues and don't want to learn how social media can improve their practice.

It's a great first step for the Kentucky Board of Medicine Licensure to have adopted the Model Policy. It provides physicians guidance and a point of reference to move forward with social media within their own practices. It is important to note, however, that each practice should implement their own social media guidelines.

In a previous post, I have outlined a set of Social Media Guidelines that we have developed that align with guidance from the AMA, CDC, and other medical organizations. Having the guidelines isn't enough. Each practice needs to proactively engage their patients and communities.

HCP Buzz is a social media marketing and reputation management company for doctors and other health care professionals including dentists, podiatrists, chiropractors, and optometrists.

www.hcpbuzz.com