This KevinMD post by Tobin Arthur on online reputation management is well done. After some thought, I feel a simple approach would be to boil physician online reputation management down to two realities:
1. You have no control over what people say
Discouraging. But think of it this way: While you can’t control what people say, you can influence what people say through outstanding service and care. And whatever you do, don’t make patients sign a form prohibiting them from public dialog about your or their experience.
2. You have 100% control of the story you create
You have to create the reality that people see. If you create nothing you are entirely at the mercy of what’s created about you on your behalf. And you create your own story through the creation of your own digital footprint.
Because of reality 1 you have to act on reality 2.
While the web is your oyster, there are three simple and accessible platforms that work well for creating searchable content:
Create a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn searches well. Tell us where you went to school and a little bit about yourself. Make it your own. Make it public and the world will be able to learn all about you in the way that you are comfortable. Every doctor should maintain an active LinkedIn profile.
Start a blog. Even just one post a week should do the trick. You don’t have time, you say? If your reputation isn’t important enough to create 300 words a week you need to consider how important your reputation really is. Every physician or practice should maintain a blog that offers valuable content for its patients.
Make a video. Then create a YouTube channel with your name or practice. This works especially well if you don’t feel comfortable writing. All you need is a computer with a camera. If you get serious you can hire someone to help you.
People will always have the power to say things that you might not care for. But the more great stuff you create, the less likely the less-than-desirable is to get noticed.
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Dr V~
I agree with your urging for an online profile. I really like the idea of creating a story, our own stories. But I hesitate in thinking this is easy for many docs. Starting a blog or starting a video channel can be an enormous task. Even with the ease of Wordpress, the management, time for writing, writing skills, and creative space necessary can be invasive into our limited free time. 300 words may be easy for you…but I know plenty of docs who don’t enjoy writing and don’t feel they have the skill. And worse for them may be that camera staring them down from the top of the computer.
We need to create something simpler for docs. We need tools or programs embedded into the EMR so that writing about health and sharing thoughts while generating stories doesn’t force them out of the program with which they are becoming comfortable—we need this communication to be a part of the work day. I’m working on it…
Yes, I’ve oversimplified to some extent. But you have to admit that establishing a LinkedIn page is easy-cheesy. My old blog was on Typepad which took about 10 minutes to set up. Wordpress hosted sites are as easy, I understand. Posterous is always an option while I’m not sure it’s a good long-term play.
I do see your point. But ultimately social design will be part of most practices.
Great to see a physician who “gets it,” Bryan. We work with highly-trained professionals and very few seem to.
As medicine changes (and the health care system and reimbursements change even more quickly), we will see more doctors joining your point of view because, as the Harris poll released, 78% of people believe it’s very important to look up a person online before doing business with them… and that certainly includes doctors.
And if the online reputation isn’t good for whatever reason, business will dry up (as we’ve illustrated on one of our websites).
I’m going to recommend your website to some of our clients. Thanks for what you write.
Charlie Seymour Jr
http://RepairYourOwnLegendNow.com
Dr. V,
In your opinion, would physicians and healthcare facilities be more open to hosting a dialogue with their patients on their websites if the patient’s content could, in a sense, be controlled? By this, I mean not publishing any obviously inappropriate content (whether it be profanity or HIPAA-violating) yet having all of the good plus some tactfully written “negative” feedback displayed. Wouldn’t this make the conversation more authentic and insightful on the business end?
I pose these questions because I am trying to learn all I can on the topic of social media in healthcare to contribute to my company’s blog.
Thank you for contributing to this increasingly important, flourishing topic.
Hard to control what people want to say and have it real. Hospitals and facilities are facilitating convos without HIPAA violations so I don’t think it’s out of the question at all. In healthcare, the perceived risks are far out of proportion to the actual risks.
I’d love to talk sometime to hear about your project. And thanks for your input.
In today’s environment all physicians have an online presence. Whether they control that presence is up to them. You’ve presented some nice, easy steps that can be taken to assert this control, and I agree with all of them.
However, I’d like to add to your list the simple task of adding one’s practice location to “Google Places”. Google Places offers some easy to use free advertisement. Local searches for your name will display your Google Places Site at the top of the list, thereby inviting the searching public to explore that first. Included are such things as a description of your practice (written by you), a link to your website, a map with directions to your office, a picture of your office, videos that you’ve posted, your LinkedIn account, and more.
That being said, the need to be proactive about these things is increasing by the day. But don’t be intimidated. As this blog points out, some easy, simple steps can go a long ways. And for my money, it’s way more effective (and useful to the public) than the “yellow pages”.
Thanks, Thomas. And yes on the locations. This wasn’t intended to be comprehensive and I’ll keep the idea for that whitepaper or e-book that I need to get around to creating.
Good Post Bryan.
This is self promoting of my service but it’s totally relevant. I think creating a blog and making a post even once per week is too much for many doctors and if it’s uninspired, bland or boring it has no real value and can even create a negative image. What matters most to patients looking for a physician is knowing the opinions of existing patients on an ongoing basis.
Recent changes by Google has linked 3rd party reviews to a physicians web site or even their “Places” page. We make a service that enables physicians to capture feedback from their patients anonymously and post the reviews across today’s popular web sites. This builds visibility and credibility and is very easy to manage.
Developing an robust, positive and completely authentic online reputation is the most effective way to manage their online reputation and grow their practice.
Andrew. You’re absolutely right and your comments are in line with Wendy’s. Bad content may be worse than none at all. I assume that a doc would be able to find some sort of basic voice or platform but this is a big assumption.
Dr. V, In your opinion, would physicians and healthcare facilities be more open to hosting a dialogue with their patients on their websites if the patient’s content could, in a sense, be controlled? By this, I mean not publishing any obviously inappropriate content (whether it be profanity or HIPAA-violating) yet having all of the good plus some tactfully written “negative” feedback displayed. Wouldn’t this make the conversation more authentic and insightful on the business end? I pose these questions because I am trying to learn all I can on the topic of social media in healthcare to contribute to my company’s blog. Thank you for contributing to this increasingly important, flourishing topic.
Should there be a primer on this be taught in med school?
Yes. But many driving curricula have no idea any of this is taking place. That’s why I’m here. That’s why it’s important that people like you ask questions like this.
Our clinic’s business manager was pushing me to blog as a means to improve the profile of our group musculoskeletal clinic. I found myself quite afraid of this, as I had not previously participated in social media. I was also wary that I could not control patient comments. Eventually, I tiptoed into LinkedIn. I then started reading blogs and came across yours. Your posts have been very useful and have improved my resolve. A few days ago, I posted my first blog, and have since written a total of 6. Its been quite enjoyable so far. The social media consultant engaged by the clinic wants me to now create content for YouTube. Some fear has returned, but I’ll hopefully be able to get over this too.
Thank you, Irwin. I’ve given you a cameo appearance in my next post. Stay tuned.
I admit I blog about physicians and I use real names. I am not trying to ruin a reputation. Before I ever post a word, I contact the physician, risk management, state medical board. I recognize a real safety concern. I talk to other patients in the facility. I am not interested in suing. I want to effectuate some change in order to prevent injuries & save lives.
I am wholly against anonymous posting by patients. It is cowardly and unfair to physician. If any physician ever disagrees with me then I encourage him or her to contact me so that we can discuss where I am going wrong. No physician has ever accused me of distorting the truth.
My goal is to encourage patient safety & help patients gain some strength.
I second the notion that Google Places should be claimed by every business owner and that the more content about ourselves we can publish online the less impact a negative review can have when it appears. A good reminder that we should all keep in mind.
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