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

1. Starting the Conversation: An Introduction to Using Social Media In Healthcare Mary Pat Whaley, FACMPE Abraham C. Whaley

2. Defining Social Media ✉Short Version: Any tool or service that uses the Internet to facilitate conversations ✉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.

3. “Our practice doesn’t 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.

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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 (it’s 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. ✉Don’t forget to LISTEN and respond.

9. How does it all work together? Practice Website

10. Social Media ground rules ✉Be likable ✉Be trustworthy ✉Be transparent ✉Be approachable ✉Be thankful ✉Create value

11. 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, Q&A, announcement) ✉Post content. ✉Respond to every comment; delete inappropriate comments. ✉Consistency is key. Make a schedule and stick to it.

12. Social Media: A daily workflow

13. 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

14. Social Media and HIPAA “We already have guidelines; social media is simply another form of communication. It’s 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

15. 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-practices-five-simple-rules-for-social-business

16. 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

17. QUESTIONS?