While social media may be the preferred form of communications when it comes to celebrities, politicians and athletes, it hasn’t been well embraced by the medical community – specifically doctors. Some have no idea how to tweet, and they’re afraid to see what they find if they Google themselves.
Many members of the medical community have used social networks such as Facebook and Twitter for personal use and to engage with friends and colleagues. But according to a study by Quantiamd, few have used the networks to communicate with patients. The top reason for this: they aren’t sure how to be a doctor online.
But as social media has grown in recent years, some doctors have realized that patients do go online for information about what ails them and to get insight about doctors.
Online, everyone – qualified or not – is giving advice about everything. People who took their last science course in high school are on equal footing with medical experts who have devoted their entire career on studying and researching a specific medical specialty.
Doctors may have lost their authority and voice by ignoring rather than embracing the social web. Luckily, the Internet moves very fast and that authority can come back very quickly if they simply engage and use this new media to their advantage.
Your patients or potential patients aren’t going to be leaving the web anytime soon. For help creating and monitoring a social presence for your practice or hospital, contact Wax Custom Communications at 305-350-5700 or visit waxcom.com.
