Starting the
Conversation:
An
Introduction to
Using Social
Media
In Healthcare
Mary Pat Whaley,
FACMPE
Defining Social Media
✉Long Version: Social Media is the
democratization of information,
transforming people from content readers
into publishers. It is the shift from a
broadcast mechanism, one-to-many, to a
many-to-many model, rooted in
conversations between authors, people,
and peers.
✉Short Version: Any tool or service that uses
the
Internet to facilitate
conversations
“Our practice doesn’t use
social media because…”
✉We don't have control over what people
might say about us.
✉We risk HIPAA and PHI violations with
social media.
✉There is no return on investment with
social media.
✉People don't use social media to choose
healthcare providers.
Why should we care
about social media?
✉Face-to-face visits are increasingly
accompanied by additional phone
and electronic healthcare and
administrative services:
✉Prescription requests
✉Forms completion
✉Questions (stimulated by available
info)
Why should we care
about social media?
✉There is an increasing emphasis
on patient education and
wellness:
✉Smoking cessation
✉Support groups
✉Home monitoring
✉Customized education
Why should we care
about social media?
✉There are not enough caregivers
to meet needs now and in the
future:
✉Telemedicine
✉Family caregivers
✉eVisits
✉Personal responsibility for
health
Why should we care
about social media?
✉Reimbursement will be based on outcomes
✉Patient satisfaction
✉Disease management
✉Payment for episodic and bundled care
✉ACOs
✉Move from payment for patient volume
to payment for group patient
management (capitation revisited)
✉Publically-reported performance
(competition)
Start With Your Website
✉Your website is the electronic center of your practice,
your digital home, your virtual front desk.
✉Add one SM piece at a time, we suggest you start with a
blog.
✉Your webmaster can add a WordPress or Blogger blog to
your existing site very easily. Make sure patients can
comment on your blog (it’s a conversation!)
✉Once your blog is running, add YouTube videos of your
physicians and other providers introducing themselves
and answering questions. Self-produced is better.
✉Add your FB page last and use software to make it
attractive and consistent with your website.
✉Don’t forget to LISTEN and respond.
How does it all work
together?
• Twitter
• Faceboo
k
Informatio
n
Interactivit
y
Practice Website
Relationsh
ip
• Blogging
Your
Story
• YouTube
Social Media ground rules
✉Be likable
✉Be trustworthy
✉Be transparent
✉Be approachable
✉Be thankful
✉Create value
Social Media:
your daily workflow
✉Create alerts to notify you via email when you have
comments on your blog, FB, YT or Twitter.
✉Check your stats and note how people find you –
what are the terms they are using to search? Use
this to help develop content.
✉Create content (news item, Q&A, announcement)
✉Post content.
✉Respond to every comment; delete inappropriate
comments.
✉Consistency is key. Make a schedule and stick to it.
Social Media:
A daily workflow
DAY
Monday
BLOG
FB
YT
✔
✔
✔
Tuesday
✔
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
TWITTER
✔
✔
✔
Social Media:
finding the capacity
✉Once you get into the flow, 30 minutes a
day will do it.
✉Delegate some parts to staff.
✉Have a contract worker help you.
✉Hire a ghost blogger.
✉Purchase/borrow content from your
professional society – always attribute.
✉Use every piece of content three times:
Blog, FB, YT
Social Media and HIPAA
“We already have guidelines; social media
is simply another form of
communication. It’s no different from email or talking to someone in an
elevator,” Bennett said. “The safe advice
is to assume anything you put out on a
social media site has the potential to be
public.”
http://ebennett.org/hsnl/ “Found in Cache”
Benefits of social media
✉Introduce new providers and services quickly
✉Reduce marketing costs
✉Invite customers to communicate about problems,
leading to greater customer retention
✉Greater market influence and brand awareness
✉Improved collaboration across departments and
improved knowledge bases – teamwork!
✉Growth in the top line and savings in the bottom
line
http://blog.softwareinsider.org/2010/12/16/best-practices-five-simplerules-for-social-business
Resources
✉Social
Media category on Manage My
Practice
✉Sign up on MMP to get new posts to
your email
✉Contact us if we can help you/your
practice get started or advance in
social media
QUESTIONS?
Mary Pat Whaley
Abraham Whaley
marypat@managemypractice.com
abe@managemypractice.com
Twitter: @Mary_Pat_Whaley
Twitter: @AbeWhaleyMMP
919.370.0504
919.370.0497
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