Social media is a great way to promote your business and connect with people. Each platform has special features in order to customize your profile and promote your product, service or skill. For instance, Twitter gives potential clients real time updates on what is going on with the business, Facebook can help promote special events and promotions that you plan on putting on, and LinkedIn is a professional database of colleagues that can be used for networking, advice and training. Whether you work with one or all of these social media sites, profiles can be effective for all industries. One booming industry today is the medical industry, and even physicians are turning to social media markets for work; here's how.
Of course greedy drug companies are starting to spam the social media world with discount Viagra and such, but physicians are taking their job a little further than the waiting room. Doctors might not be leveraging social media to learn about new products or browse through ads, but they are finding new ways to connect with patients through these sites. Doctors are using Facebook to interact through polls, virtual birthday celebrations, and one-on-one conversations with patients with comments and questions regarding medical care. It's a little too soon to expect every private care doctor to have their own Facebook page, not to mention be able to respond to every comment or post, but some doctors say it might soon be the norm.
Aside from communicating with patients, social media is a valuable asset for doctors to communicate and collaborate with each other. Many physicians have turned to social media to help each other manage the amount of new information they need to know about quality care. There are free databases such as Doximity, which helps doctors connect with other doctors, and address consumers needs. Thousands of medical providers use the platform to share information, collaborate on treatment plans, and improve quality of care standards.
Even though some social media platforms have strict privacy settings, doctors should proceed with caution. Unfortunately, physicians can't use traditional social networks, email or SMS to discuss patients thanks to federal HIPAA laws that requires medical-grade security. Physicians need to ensure that they participate in social media sites that are HIPAA compliant. Doximity offers physicians the ability to engage in quick, HIPAA-compliant communications through mobile apps (available for iPhone and Android) or via the Web, and can use a secure SMS messaging system or fax directly from their phone or computer to anyone in or outside of the network. On an unsecured social network like Facebook or Twitter, doctors need to carefully monitor their communications. Doctors can't just tweet treatment plans.
Overall, social media is a helpful and useful tool for physicians just like it is for the masses. This may prove to be an important component for medicine professionals who can stay up-to-date on news and trending topics in the healthcare field. As long as all information and patient privacy is protected, social media can benefit physicians in a number of ways.
