What are physicians doing with social media? Physicians are exploring various forms of social media to communicate with each other and with their patients. Let’s see specifically how physicians are using blogs (akin to a practice newsletter), Facebook and Twitter.
Blogging
One of the more popular physician bloggers with over 20,000 RSS subscribers is Kevin Pho, a board-certified Internal Medicine physician in New Hampshire. His blog provides a running commentary on what is happening in the medical world. KevinMD.com describes the blog’s intent, “With health care at the forefront of the American mindset, patients often have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of medicine today. I aim to pull that curtain back.”
Some of Dr. Pho’s recent posts have the following titles:
How Connected Are You to Your Primary Care Doctor?
Mid-levels for Primary Care, But Not for Surgery
Op-ed: Not All Screening Tests Lead to Early, Better Treatment
Advantage Primary Care Physician, a South Carolina medical practice uses Facebook to communicate with their patients the very basics about their practice and its location and hours.
Eastside Primary Care and Wellness, a Washington practice, takes their Facebook page further and provides on-going health update reports and videos. As a primary care practice, they take the opportunity to educate their “fans” on the role of a medical home. A recent update:
MEDSPA EVENING AT OUR CLINIC!!!! This Friday, May 8th… 5:30PM-8:30PM… Wine and appetizers… door prices and discounted pricing… RSVP 425.467.1314
Another example is Care Practice that has the following informational blurb on their Facebook page:
Care Practice is both an Urgent Care and a Primary Medical clinic dedicated to serving the community through personalized and timely medical visits. The clinic is located at 508 A 14th Street in the heart of the San Francisco’s Mission Dolores Neighborhood.
Care Practice started in September 2008 with a mission to break down the growing barriers put between doctors and patients in the current health care setting and reinstitute transparency and affordability to medical costs. The location and atmosphere of the clinic also reflects a strong desire to bring doctors out of the medical office building and the hospital complex and back to the neighborhoods where they belong.
We offer 24/7 Urgent Care and House Call services with an On Call Doctor available after hours and on weekends to meet patients that require Urgent Care services.
They also have interactive exchanges on their site with information about H1N1 and patient feedback such as this recent post:
Hi – just thought I’d add a post. My husband Lawrence and I recently became patients of Care Practice. I found them through a Google search, on a Saturday, during what was a horrible time for us both – our long-time doctor had suddenly closed up shop and disappeared with no referral or notice.
Dr. Blackledge came in on his day off (sorry to out you, Dr., I don’t want to set up any unrealistic expectations!) – and saw Lawrence. The office is lovely, the office manager is sweet and very kind, and Dr. Blackledge treated us with respect and dignity. It was by far the most positive experience I’ve had with a medical professional.
I can’t say enough about this clinic, and Dr. Blackledge -if you read the mission statement above, you can get an idea of what they’re about, and it’s not P.R. B.S.. They care about their patients. They don’t waste your time, but more than that, they’re willing to spend time, and they listen. Care Practice is fantastic – can’t recommend highly enough! – Sarah
There are many ways to use Twitter. A physician and Twitter enthusiast wrote in a recent blog post, How Physicians (Should) Use Twitter. In his post, Dr. Lara categorizes the three main applications of Twitter for physicians. He provides specific examples for 1) Information Collection, 2) Information Sharing and 3) Communications Regarding Direct Patient Care.
Dr. Gwenn is Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Pediatrics Now who also has a blog and tweets. A recent post from Dr. Gwenn:
Video passed on FB by @doctor_v http://tinyurl.com/q3yulv “ode to Jenny McCarthy from Measles,Mumps,Rubella”. (someone pass this to Oprah!)
Twitter can be used as a remarkable listening tool. If you are not ready to put yourself or your practice persona out, consider finding out what others are doing and thinking. There are some very good patient advocates on Twitter who deftly articulate the experience and feelings of patients. Check out ePatientDave and TrishaTorrey.
