Social media is all the rage. But is it right for your medical practice?  Proactive Patient Services understands that your goal is to engage consistently and authentically with existing and new patients while adding strategic planning to increase your medical practice’s effectiveness and lead generation.

BUT...and there is a BUT.  You must carefully consider all the factors and develop a social media strategy and plan before you dive in.  Many physician practices and healthcare organizations are testing the social media waters.  Remember social media isn’t free nor without consequences.  Proactive Patient Services Social Media Strategist not only understand how to use social media, they more importantly understand how medical practices and healthcare organizations can and should connect with patients, prospective patients and the larger community. 

Connect To Social Media

Product: Proactive Patient Services expertise to set-up business accounts for 3 Social Media portals (LinkedIn, Facebook & Google Plus+.) with integrated strategy for practice.
Results: Interface with website, strategies, staff training on social media, and social media employee policy for practice.

Why Social Media?

• Social media connects your visitors (patients) to your practice page and website
• Users get to choose who views their content
• Allows you to communicate your practice philosophy to a large and growing audience by sharing links to websites and helpful, interesting and educational information
• Posts are carefully crafted to help cultivate leads.

Three Social Media Phases

1. Introductory phase – where the organization doesn’t have a process or strategy and is just just getting started.
2. Evolving phase –  where the organization has an informal process, lack of a cohesive, integrated strategy and some guidelines and instructions.  
3. Mature phase – where the organization has a formal process, strategy, integration with Internet and other marketing programs to produce results, clearly written standards and guidelines.  Monitoring is done routinely and adjustments are made.  

Social Media Checklist: 

• The physician and/or practice administration should check the privacy settings to determine what privacy settings are in place.

•  Provide clear guidance to the individual assigned to monitor your social media pages and make sure he/she is monitoring the page no less than 3 times daily.  As the individual is monitoring the page give clear direction to delete comments and or a page that isn’t appropriate.  

• You must have a social media policy.  Clearly state that there is to be NO posting of patient information, as this can only be done by the patient if the patient desires to post his/her comments.  Be clear on what is allowed such as, post meaningful, respectful comments, no comments or remarks that are off-topic or can be offense to the practice or physician.  Prohibit any employee from making defamatory online statements. Inform employees to stick to their areas of knowledge only and post helpful, informative, and useful information.  When in doubt, ask for help.

• Your social media vehicle can’t be static.  Post regularly but don’t duplicate your Website content. Try to be interactive.  Avoid self-promotion.  Must give participants something of value that builds relationships. 
   
• If you are using Facebook make sure that your profile page is attractive to your target markets.
   
• Build your followers or “friends” base. 

Sample from major companies have language to this effect:

"Participation in social networking on behalf of (name of company) is not a right but a privilege.  Ultimately, what you write/publish is yours, as is the responsibility, and any possible repercussions."

Looking for a social media strategy, plan and experts to set-up, monitor and post? Contact Proactive Patient Services and our Social Media Strategists can assist you.