Starting the Conversation: An Introduction to Using Social Media In Healthcare

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Starting the Conversation An Introduction to
Using Social Media In Healthcare

• Mary Pat Whaley, FACMPE
• Abraham C. Whaley

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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
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Our practice doesnt 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.

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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)

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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

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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

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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)

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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 (its 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.
• ?Dont forget to LISTEN and respond.

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How does it all work together?
Practice Website
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Social Media ground rules

• ?Be likable
• ?Be trustworthy
• ?Be transparent
• ?Be approachable
• ?Be thankful
• ?Create value

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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, QA, announcement)
• ?Post content.
• ?Respond to every comment delete inappropriate
  comments.
• ?Consistency is key. Make a schedule and stick to
  it.

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Social Media A daily workflow
DAY BLOG FB YT TWITTER
Monday ? ?
Tuesday ?
Wednesday ?
Thursday ? ?
Friday ?
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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

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Social Media and HIPAA

• We already have guidelines social media is
  simply another form of communication. Its no
  different from e-mail 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 Social
  Media resources for health care professionals

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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-pr
  actices-five-simple-rules-for-social-business

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Resources

• ?Social Media category on Manage My Practice
• ?Sign up on MMP to get new posts to your email
• ?Click on the Hello Bar for this slide
  presentation and the links used in the program
• ?Contact us if we can help you/your practice get
  started or advance in social media

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Resources

• AMA Social Media Guidelines http//www.ama-assn.or
  g/ama/pub/news/news/social-media-policy.shtml
• Ohio State Medical Association www.osma.org/social
  mediapolicy
• CDC Social Media Toolkit http//www.cdc.gov/social
  media/
• Dose of Digitals Wiki of Healthcare Communities
  and Websites http//www.doseofdigital.com/healthc
  are-pharma-social-media-wiki/
• Pew Internet and American Life Project
  http//pewinternet.org/topics/Health.aspx
• Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media
  http//socialmedia.mayoclinic.org/blog
• Manage My Practice http//www.managemypractice.com
  /category/social-media-2/

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QUESTIONS?
Mary Pat Whaley Abraham Whaley
marypat_at_managemypractice.com abe_at_managemypractice.com
Twitter _at_Mary_Pat_Whaley Twitter _at_AbeWhaleyMMP
919.370.0504 919.370.0497
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