User login
Five health care trends for 2015
The rate of change in health care is accelerating. There are several trends that are now apparent, and they have the potential to significantly change the way we deliver and consume health care. Here are five highlights and predictions for what’s next:
Telemedicine ascendant. Telemedicine is the use of technology to deliver health care services remotely. The concept and much of the technology are decades old, so much so that passionate advocates for telemedicine have seemed more doting than daring. We’ve heard for years that telemedicine will revolutionize how we practice, yet adoption for both providers and patients has been paltry. This year is different. The convergence of high-fidelity, affordable technology, changed consumer expectations, and now viable telemedicine business plans have created an environment for telemedicine to thrive. As payers look to reduce the costs of hospitalization and get patients home sooner and safer, the use of telemedicine video and remote monitoring has grown rapidly. According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than half of all U.S. hospitals use some form of telemedicine. Now that Medicare and other payers have opened their wallets to start reimbursing for some telemedicine services, providers are looking to capitalize. Our patients have changed as well. Patients/consumers have shown they are interested in using phone calls, photo sharing, and video conferencing as channels to get their care, particularly for common and routine medical problems. Telemedicine is as hot as social media for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
Prediction: The AAD Telemedicine Committee will someday eclipse all others in popularity.
Wearable technology. According to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2014 report, Americans believe in the promise of wearable wellness devices: Fifty-six percent believe that the average life expectancy will grow by 10 years because of wearable-enabled monitoring of vital signs! Today, just one in five American adults owns a wearable, but that market is expected to grow rapidly as technology improves and entry costs drop. For health care, the potential impact is huge, but the barriers are equally large. For wearables to reach their full clinical potential, they need to provide more than just data. They will have to deliver on engagement for patients and insight for physicians. Both are headed our way.
Prediction: Medicine moves from helping sick people become well to helping well people become uber-healthy.
Increasing adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs). Whether you love (if one could actually love an EMR) or curse your EMR, chances are you have one. Soon we all will. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stipends and promises of penalties have broken the inertia. Two studies from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology showed that almost half (48%) of all physicians had an EMR system with advanced technologies in 2013 (double the adoption rate of 2009). Similarly, 59% of hospitals had EMRs with advanced technologies (quadrupling their 2010 rate). Although expensive, flawed, and accompanied by trade-offs in patient interaction and physician work experience, EMRs have brought benefit to health care. Soon they will be ubiquitous and later no longer an interesting topic of discussion.
Prediction: Open notes (wherein patients can read their entire medical chart) are next.
The consumerization of health care. From retail health insurance stores to health care kiosks in malls, health care is moving toward consumerization; that is, health care as an industry is shifting from business-to-business (B2B) to business-to-consumer (B2C). As consumers pay more out of pocket for their services, they are experiencing health care in a different way and expect a higher value for their costs (they are more “price sensitive” as they say in economics). This has profound implications, such as more patients “shopping” for health care. Just as consumers have come to expect high-quality, customized experiences in retail and digital spaces, so too do they expect high-quality, personalized health care experiences.
Prediction: Online doctor reviews will become more relevant over time.
Retail health care clinics. Walk-in retail health clinics have been around since 2000, yet only recently have they gained momentum. CVS, Walgreen’s, Target, and Walmart are all entering this space. A 2014 report by Accenture predicts that retail health clinics will double in number this year. Three trends are driving this rapid growth: 1) Increased numbers of newly insured patients (as a result of an improved economy and the Affordable Care Act) with too few primary care physicians to care for them; 2) The ability of efficient retailers such as Walmart to drive down the cost of care delivery and consequently prices for patients; 3) Clinics using price transparency, another trend that is attractive to consumers. As with telemedicine, consumers are coming to accept the idea of getting health care while at the grocery store or the mall.
Prediction: Telemedicine plus retail will lead to opportunities for specialists to add value to retail settings. Buy diapers and have a remote dermatologist consult for your child’s rash all in one, low-cost visit.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
The rate of change in health care is accelerating. There are several trends that are now apparent, and they have the potential to significantly change the way we deliver and consume health care. Here are five highlights and predictions for what’s next:
Telemedicine ascendant. Telemedicine is the use of technology to deliver health care services remotely. The concept and much of the technology are decades old, so much so that passionate advocates for telemedicine have seemed more doting than daring. We’ve heard for years that telemedicine will revolutionize how we practice, yet adoption for both providers and patients has been paltry. This year is different. The convergence of high-fidelity, affordable technology, changed consumer expectations, and now viable telemedicine business plans have created an environment for telemedicine to thrive. As payers look to reduce the costs of hospitalization and get patients home sooner and safer, the use of telemedicine video and remote monitoring has grown rapidly. According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than half of all U.S. hospitals use some form of telemedicine. Now that Medicare and other payers have opened their wallets to start reimbursing for some telemedicine services, providers are looking to capitalize. Our patients have changed as well. Patients/consumers have shown they are interested in using phone calls, photo sharing, and video conferencing as channels to get their care, particularly for common and routine medical problems. Telemedicine is as hot as social media for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
Prediction: The AAD Telemedicine Committee will someday eclipse all others in popularity.
Wearable technology. According to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2014 report, Americans believe in the promise of wearable wellness devices: Fifty-six percent believe that the average life expectancy will grow by 10 years because of wearable-enabled monitoring of vital signs! Today, just one in five American adults owns a wearable, but that market is expected to grow rapidly as technology improves and entry costs drop. For health care, the potential impact is huge, but the barriers are equally large. For wearables to reach their full clinical potential, they need to provide more than just data. They will have to deliver on engagement for patients and insight for physicians. Both are headed our way.
Prediction: Medicine moves from helping sick people become well to helping well people become uber-healthy.
Increasing adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs). Whether you love (if one could actually love an EMR) or curse your EMR, chances are you have one. Soon we all will. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stipends and promises of penalties have broken the inertia. Two studies from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology showed that almost half (48%) of all physicians had an EMR system with advanced technologies in 2013 (double the adoption rate of 2009). Similarly, 59% of hospitals had EMRs with advanced technologies (quadrupling their 2010 rate). Although expensive, flawed, and accompanied by trade-offs in patient interaction and physician work experience, EMRs have brought benefit to health care. Soon they will be ubiquitous and later no longer an interesting topic of discussion.
Prediction: Open notes (wherein patients can read their entire medical chart) are next.
The consumerization of health care. From retail health insurance stores to health care kiosks in malls, health care is moving toward consumerization; that is, health care as an industry is shifting from business-to-business (B2B) to business-to-consumer (B2C). As consumers pay more out of pocket for their services, they are experiencing health care in a different way and expect a higher value for their costs (they are more “price sensitive” as they say in economics). This has profound implications, such as more patients “shopping” for health care. Just as consumers have come to expect high-quality, customized experiences in retail and digital spaces, so too do they expect high-quality, personalized health care experiences.
Prediction: Online doctor reviews will become more relevant over time.
Retail health care clinics. Walk-in retail health clinics have been around since 2000, yet only recently have they gained momentum. CVS, Walgreen’s, Target, and Walmart are all entering this space. A 2014 report by Accenture predicts that retail health clinics will double in number this year. Three trends are driving this rapid growth: 1) Increased numbers of newly insured patients (as a result of an improved economy and the Affordable Care Act) with too few primary care physicians to care for them; 2) The ability of efficient retailers such as Walmart to drive down the cost of care delivery and consequently prices for patients; 3) Clinics using price transparency, another trend that is attractive to consumers. As with telemedicine, consumers are coming to accept the idea of getting health care while at the grocery store or the mall.
Prediction: Telemedicine plus retail will lead to opportunities for specialists to add value to retail settings. Buy diapers and have a remote dermatologist consult for your child’s rash all in one, low-cost visit.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
The rate of change in health care is accelerating. There are several trends that are now apparent, and they have the potential to significantly change the way we deliver and consume health care. Here are five highlights and predictions for what’s next:
Telemedicine ascendant. Telemedicine is the use of technology to deliver health care services remotely. The concept and much of the technology are decades old, so much so that passionate advocates for telemedicine have seemed more doting than daring. We’ve heard for years that telemedicine will revolutionize how we practice, yet adoption for both providers and patients has been paltry. This year is different. The convergence of high-fidelity, affordable technology, changed consumer expectations, and now viable telemedicine business plans have created an environment for telemedicine to thrive. As payers look to reduce the costs of hospitalization and get patients home sooner and safer, the use of telemedicine video and remote monitoring has grown rapidly. According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than half of all U.S. hospitals use some form of telemedicine. Now that Medicare and other payers have opened their wallets to start reimbursing for some telemedicine services, providers are looking to capitalize. Our patients have changed as well. Patients/consumers have shown they are interested in using phone calls, photo sharing, and video conferencing as channels to get their care, particularly for common and routine medical problems. Telemedicine is as hot as social media for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
Prediction: The AAD Telemedicine Committee will someday eclipse all others in popularity.
Wearable technology. According to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2014 report, Americans believe in the promise of wearable wellness devices: Fifty-six percent believe that the average life expectancy will grow by 10 years because of wearable-enabled monitoring of vital signs! Today, just one in five American adults owns a wearable, but that market is expected to grow rapidly as technology improves and entry costs drop. For health care, the potential impact is huge, but the barriers are equally large. For wearables to reach their full clinical potential, they need to provide more than just data. They will have to deliver on engagement for patients and insight for physicians. Both are headed our way.
Prediction: Medicine moves from helping sick people become well to helping well people become uber-healthy.
Increasing adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs). Whether you love (if one could actually love an EMR) or curse your EMR, chances are you have one. Soon we all will. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stipends and promises of penalties have broken the inertia. Two studies from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology showed that almost half (48%) of all physicians had an EMR system with advanced technologies in 2013 (double the adoption rate of 2009). Similarly, 59% of hospitals had EMRs with advanced technologies (quadrupling their 2010 rate). Although expensive, flawed, and accompanied by trade-offs in patient interaction and physician work experience, EMRs have brought benefit to health care. Soon they will be ubiquitous and later no longer an interesting topic of discussion.
Prediction: Open notes (wherein patients can read their entire medical chart) are next.
The consumerization of health care. From retail health insurance stores to health care kiosks in malls, health care is moving toward consumerization; that is, health care as an industry is shifting from business-to-business (B2B) to business-to-consumer (B2C). As consumers pay more out of pocket for their services, they are experiencing health care in a different way and expect a higher value for their costs (they are more “price sensitive” as they say in economics). This has profound implications, such as more patients “shopping” for health care. Just as consumers have come to expect high-quality, customized experiences in retail and digital spaces, so too do they expect high-quality, personalized health care experiences.
Prediction: Online doctor reviews will become more relevant over time.
Retail health care clinics. Walk-in retail health clinics have been around since 2000, yet only recently have they gained momentum. CVS, Walgreen’s, Target, and Walmart are all entering this space. A 2014 report by Accenture predicts that retail health clinics will double in number this year. Three trends are driving this rapid growth: 1) Increased numbers of newly insured patients (as a result of an improved economy and the Affordable Care Act) with too few primary care physicians to care for them; 2) The ability of efficient retailers such as Walmart to drive down the cost of care delivery and consequently prices for patients; 3) Clinics using price transparency, another trend that is attractive to consumers. As with telemedicine, consumers are coming to accept the idea of getting health care while at the grocery store or the mall.
Prediction: Telemedicine plus retail will lead to opportunities for specialists to add value to retail settings. Buy diapers and have a remote dermatologist consult for your child’s rash all in one, low-cost visit.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
Inspiring TED talks
December is the time for reflection. For the last few years, I have found a great way to do that – by watching TED talks. The TED talk phenomenon is an example of how digital media enable the spread of ideas. In an effort to inspire you, both in life and in practice, I’m sharing nine of my favorite TED talks that range from digital medicine to meditation, from healthcare costs to healthcare transformation, and from happiness to introspection. Find the time in the next month or so to watch a few of these. You will be grateful for 2014 and inspired for 2015.
Stefan Larsson, “What Doctors Can Learn From Each Other,” October 2013
A physician and value-based health care advocate, Dr. Larsson argues for a paradigm shift in health care. He asks, “With our ever-increasing focus on costs, are we forgetting about the patient?” Through concrete examples, he argues that health care leaders should focus not only on quality over cost, but also that doing so will lead to overall lower costs and better care delivery.
Daniel Kraft, “Medicine’s future? There’s an app for that,” April 2011
In this fast-paced, energetic presentation, Kraft, a physician, scientist, and innovator, explores exponential technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and how they are radically transforming health care. He argues that these technologies will usher in an “era of digital medicine,” (which has already begun), and will ultimately make care delivery faster, smaller, cheaper, and better.
Atul Gawande, “How do we heal medicine?” February 2012
Dr. Gawande, a Harvard surgeon, researcher, and writer, argues that health care needs fewer cowboys and more pit crews. The problem is that physicians have been trained, hired, and rewarded to be cowboys, or rugged individuals. Gawande says that medicine is obsessed with components – we want the best specialists, the best drugs, the best tests. But at what cost? He calls for medicine to be a system in which we can recognize both success and failure, and design solutions for the failures. His answer: a checklist. In a study of eight hospitals in eight different countries that implemented checklists for surgery, they found complication rates fell 35% and death rates fell 47%. The truth: As individualistic as we want to be, complexity requires group success.
Rebecca Onie, “What if our health care system kept us healthy?” June 2012
What if a physician could write a prescription for food, shelter, or heat for their patients to give them the basic resources they needed to be healthy? That’s exactly what’s happening in clinics in which Health Leads operate. Ms. Onie, a cofounder of Health Leads, has helped more than 9,000 families to receive the basic necessities for their health. She argues that this system not only allows physicians to manage patients’ diseases, but also to improve patients’ health.
Dan Pink, “The Puzzle of motivation,” July 2009
If you want your employees to work better, faster, and more creatively, then you should dangle a sweeter carrot in front of them. Right? Not so fast. In this intriguing talk, Pink blasts a hole in the belief that bigger rewards produce better results. In tasks that require heuristic thinking, larger rewards typically lead to poorer performance. Therefore, he advocates developing intrinsic motivation by focusing on autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
Matthieu Ricard, “The Habits of Happiness,” February 2004
With dozens of headlines screaming about doctor dissatisfaction, it might not be a bad idea to watch Matthieu Ricard’s video about achieving happiness. We all seek happiness and avoid suffering, yet for most us happiness comes in fleeting glimpses. What if happiness was something you could experience daily? Mr. Ricard, a French biochemist turned Buddhist monk, says you can. He believes that practicing meditation can put us in touch with our emotions (both good and bad), cultivate compassion toward others, and ultimately achieve happiness and fulfillment.
Graham Hill, “Less stuff, more happiness,” March 2011
In this video, Mr. Hill, the founder of LifeEdited, shares his story of buying a 420-square-foot apartment then designing it so it can include an office, a bed, a kitchen, and a table large enough for a dinner party of 10 people. (Spoiler alert: He gets it all.) His premise is simple: Having less stuff gives you more freedom and time, which will ultimately make room for more of the good stuff in life.
Louie Schwartzberg, “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude,” June 2011
In this beautiful and poignant video, Schwartzberg, a cinematographer who has been shooting time-lapsed flowers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for more than 30 years, shares his illuminating images and encourages us to more fully and mindfully connect with the people, places, and things around us. He shares two interviews about nature and gratitude, one from the perspective of a young child, the other from an elderly man. The underlying message in both is that nature’s beauty is a gift that cultivates appreciation and gratitude in us that we can then pass on to others.
OK, I’m going to include one more TED talk, which is mine. I presented “Reinventing physicians” in 2011 at TEDxPennQuarter. I hope you enjoy it.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is@dermdoc on Twitter.
December is the time for reflection. For the last few years, I have found a great way to do that – by watching TED talks. The TED talk phenomenon is an example of how digital media enable the spread of ideas. In an effort to inspire you, both in life and in practice, I’m sharing nine of my favorite TED talks that range from digital medicine to meditation, from healthcare costs to healthcare transformation, and from happiness to introspection. Find the time in the next month or so to watch a few of these. You will be grateful for 2014 and inspired for 2015.
Stefan Larsson, “What Doctors Can Learn From Each Other,” October 2013
A physician and value-based health care advocate, Dr. Larsson argues for a paradigm shift in health care. He asks, “With our ever-increasing focus on costs, are we forgetting about the patient?” Through concrete examples, he argues that health care leaders should focus not only on quality over cost, but also that doing so will lead to overall lower costs and better care delivery.
Daniel Kraft, “Medicine’s future? There’s an app for that,” April 2011
In this fast-paced, energetic presentation, Kraft, a physician, scientist, and innovator, explores exponential technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and how they are radically transforming health care. He argues that these technologies will usher in an “era of digital medicine,” (which has already begun), and will ultimately make care delivery faster, smaller, cheaper, and better.
Atul Gawande, “How do we heal medicine?” February 2012
Dr. Gawande, a Harvard surgeon, researcher, and writer, argues that health care needs fewer cowboys and more pit crews. The problem is that physicians have been trained, hired, and rewarded to be cowboys, or rugged individuals. Gawande says that medicine is obsessed with components – we want the best specialists, the best drugs, the best tests. But at what cost? He calls for medicine to be a system in which we can recognize both success and failure, and design solutions for the failures. His answer: a checklist. In a study of eight hospitals in eight different countries that implemented checklists for surgery, they found complication rates fell 35% and death rates fell 47%. The truth: As individualistic as we want to be, complexity requires group success.
Rebecca Onie, “What if our health care system kept us healthy?” June 2012
What if a physician could write a prescription for food, shelter, or heat for their patients to give them the basic resources they needed to be healthy? That’s exactly what’s happening in clinics in which Health Leads operate. Ms. Onie, a cofounder of Health Leads, has helped more than 9,000 families to receive the basic necessities for their health. She argues that this system not only allows physicians to manage patients’ diseases, but also to improve patients’ health.
Dan Pink, “The Puzzle of motivation,” July 2009
If you want your employees to work better, faster, and more creatively, then you should dangle a sweeter carrot in front of them. Right? Not so fast. In this intriguing talk, Pink blasts a hole in the belief that bigger rewards produce better results. In tasks that require heuristic thinking, larger rewards typically lead to poorer performance. Therefore, he advocates developing intrinsic motivation by focusing on autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
Matthieu Ricard, “The Habits of Happiness,” February 2004
With dozens of headlines screaming about doctor dissatisfaction, it might not be a bad idea to watch Matthieu Ricard’s video about achieving happiness. We all seek happiness and avoid suffering, yet for most us happiness comes in fleeting glimpses. What if happiness was something you could experience daily? Mr. Ricard, a French biochemist turned Buddhist monk, says you can. He believes that practicing meditation can put us in touch with our emotions (both good and bad), cultivate compassion toward others, and ultimately achieve happiness and fulfillment.
Graham Hill, “Less stuff, more happiness,” March 2011
In this video, Mr. Hill, the founder of LifeEdited, shares his story of buying a 420-square-foot apartment then designing it so it can include an office, a bed, a kitchen, and a table large enough for a dinner party of 10 people. (Spoiler alert: He gets it all.) His premise is simple: Having less stuff gives you more freedom and time, which will ultimately make room for more of the good stuff in life.
Louie Schwartzberg, “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude,” June 2011
In this beautiful and poignant video, Schwartzberg, a cinematographer who has been shooting time-lapsed flowers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for more than 30 years, shares his illuminating images and encourages us to more fully and mindfully connect with the people, places, and things around us. He shares two interviews about nature and gratitude, one from the perspective of a young child, the other from an elderly man. The underlying message in both is that nature’s beauty is a gift that cultivates appreciation and gratitude in us that we can then pass on to others.
OK, I’m going to include one more TED talk, which is mine. I presented “Reinventing physicians” in 2011 at TEDxPennQuarter. I hope you enjoy it.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is@dermdoc on Twitter.
December is the time for reflection. For the last few years, I have found a great way to do that – by watching TED talks. The TED talk phenomenon is an example of how digital media enable the spread of ideas. In an effort to inspire you, both in life and in practice, I’m sharing nine of my favorite TED talks that range from digital medicine to meditation, from healthcare costs to healthcare transformation, and from happiness to introspection. Find the time in the next month or so to watch a few of these. You will be grateful for 2014 and inspired for 2015.
Stefan Larsson, “What Doctors Can Learn From Each Other,” October 2013
A physician and value-based health care advocate, Dr. Larsson argues for a paradigm shift in health care. He asks, “With our ever-increasing focus on costs, are we forgetting about the patient?” Through concrete examples, he argues that health care leaders should focus not only on quality over cost, but also that doing so will lead to overall lower costs and better care delivery.
Daniel Kraft, “Medicine’s future? There’s an app for that,” April 2011
In this fast-paced, energetic presentation, Kraft, a physician, scientist, and innovator, explores exponential technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and how they are radically transforming health care. He argues that these technologies will usher in an “era of digital medicine,” (which has already begun), and will ultimately make care delivery faster, smaller, cheaper, and better.
Atul Gawande, “How do we heal medicine?” February 2012
Dr. Gawande, a Harvard surgeon, researcher, and writer, argues that health care needs fewer cowboys and more pit crews. The problem is that physicians have been trained, hired, and rewarded to be cowboys, or rugged individuals. Gawande says that medicine is obsessed with components – we want the best specialists, the best drugs, the best tests. But at what cost? He calls for medicine to be a system in which we can recognize both success and failure, and design solutions for the failures. His answer: a checklist. In a study of eight hospitals in eight different countries that implemented checklists for surgery, they found complication rates fell 35% and death rates fell 47%. The truth: As individualistic as we want to be, complexity requires group success.
Rebecca Onie, “What if our health care system kept us healthy?” June 2012
What if a physician could write a prescription for food, shelter, or heat for their patients to give them the basic resources they needed to be healthy? That’s exactly what’s happening in clinics in which Health Leads operate. Ms. Onie, a cofounder of Health Leads, has helped more than 9,000 families to receive the basic necessities for their health. She argues that this system not only allows physicians to manage patients’ diseases, but also to improve patients’ health.
Dan Pink, “The Puzzle of motivation,” July 2009
If you want your employees to work better, faster, and more creatively, then you should dangle a sweeter carrot in front of them. Right? Not so fast. In this intriguing talk, Pink blasts a hole in the belief that bigger rewards produce better results. In tasks that require heuristic thinking, larger rewards typically lead to poorer performance. Therefore, he advocates developing intrinsic motivation by focusing on autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
Matthieu Ricard, “The Habits of Happiness,” February 2004
With dozens of headlines screaming about doctor dissatisfaction, it might not be a bad idea to watch Matthieu Ricard’s video about achieving happiness. We all seek happiness and avoid suffering, yet for most us happiness comes in fleeting glimpses. What if happiness was something you could experience daily? Mr. Ricard, a French biochemist turned Buddhist monk, says you can. He believes that practicing meditation can put us in touch with our emotions (both good and bad), cultivate compassion toward others, and ultimately achieve happiness and fulfillment.
Graham Hill, “Less stuff, more happiness,” March 2011
In this video, Mr. Hill, the founder of LifeEdited, shares his story of buying a 420-square-foot apartment then designing it so it can include an office, a bed, a kitchen, and a table large enough for a dinner party of 10 people. (Spoiler alert: He gets it all.) His premise is simple: Having less stuff gives you more freedom and time, which will ultimately make room for more of the good stuff in life.
Louie Schwartzberg, “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude,” June 2011
In this beautiful and poignant video, Schwartzberg, a cinematographer who has been shooting time-lapsed flowers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for more than 30 years, shares his illuminating images and encourages us to more fully and mindfully connect with the people, places, and things around us. He shares two interviews about nature and gratitude, one from the perspective of a young child, the other from an elderly man. The underlying message in both is that nature’s beauty is a gift that cultivates appreciation and gratitude in us that we can then pass on to others.
OK, I’m going to include one more TED talk, which is mine. I presented “Reinventing physicians” in 2011 at TEDxPennQuarter. I hope you enjoy it.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is@dermdoc on Twitter.
E-mailing patients
I’ve never lived in a world without e-mail. No, I’m not one of those millennial kids; e-mail has been around for a long time. Sending messages between computers dates to the 1960s, but most people consider 1971 to be the birth of e-mail. That’s when Ray Tomlinson added the @ symbol to separate users’ names from their e-mail addresses.
Today, e-mail is ubiquitous. You can e-mail your mother, your colleagues, or your cable company. You can even e-mail the president of the United States. Other than the pope and most physicians, there aren’t many people you cannot e-mail. (Although, interestingly, you can reach His Holiness on Twitter @Pontifex.)
We physicians have historically had a few good reasons to avoid e-mailing patients, but many of those objections are unwarranted. As part the meaningful use EHR incentive program from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, secure messaging will now be required to be eligible for rewards. Although many physicians cite security as a concern, most electronic medical record systems now have patient portals that allow for secure, safe messaging. Encroachment into private time, however, is still a concern for many physicians.
At Kaiser Permanente (KP), we’ve been using secure e-mails with our patients for more than 5 years. When we started, I had some of the same concerns as most doctors: When am I going to have time to do this? What types of questions will patients send? As it turns out, the system has been wildly popular for patients. In 2013 alone, we replied to more than 14 million patient messages. We encourage our patients to use e-mail to stay connected with us, because it leads to improved patient experiences and improved outcomes.
Managing e-mail in-boxes is difficult work, and we KP physicians constantly try to find ways to be more efficient. E-mail does sometimes encroach on my personal time, but I’ve discovered that’s okay. As it turns out, e-mail encroaches on my entrepreneurial brother’s personal time, my financial planner’s personal time, and my plumber’s personal time. Being always connected is a modern luxury and a curse. It’s also part of being a professional.
Here are some steps I’ve taken to manage my patient e-mails. First, I always remember that this electronic message is connected to a real person with real worry. Second, I remember how appreciative patients are to get a message from their doctor. E-mail a patient after 8 p.m., and they will never forget you. Third, clearly delineate time to take care of business. It never feels burdensome in part because I am in control. I choose to e-mail patients not because I have to but because I’m that doctor and it makes me feel good.
This weekend, for example, I did patient messages in a Jackson Hole, Wyo., coffee shop while on vacation. Just as I opened my computer, I noticed a young guy in a fleece jacket next to me checking his e-mail while his wife and two kids enjoyed muffins and hot cocoa. While I was waiting for my wife, Susan, to order our lattes, I overheard him make a call to his office: “Yes, I’m out, but why don’t you e-mail me that and I’ll get right back to you.”
I’m right with you, buddy, I think. I use my token and the wifi there in Wyoming to access my patient e-mails. There are only five. The messages are like most I receive: “I have a new spot,” or “The cream you gave me isn’t working,” or “My acne is better, so should I reduce the spironolactone?” I hammer replies out in 10 minutes.
My wife returns with lattes and opens the local paper while I review 14 biopsy results from 2 days ago. For most of them, I use a template and the secure e-mail to send patients their results. I then send a few notes to some patients, advising them to follow up with me for excisional surgeries.
The work I was doing was not additive; the questions my patients sent would have had to be addressed at some time. In fact, if they had called, then they would have left a message with a nurse who would have sent a message to me, which I would have had to reply to, and then send the message back to the nurse who would have to reply to the patient.
Despite our love/hate relationship with it, e-mail has been one of the great innovations of the 20th century, and it is the primary form of communication in the business world. According to one study, more than 100 billion business e-mails were sent and received every day in 2013. Yet, fewer than one-third of physicians use e-mail to communicate with their patients.Personally, I have found patients to be generally understanding, courteous, and appreciative of e-mail. Of course, there are a few who don’t follow good etiquette. (One of my primary care colleagues relates a story of a patient who e-mailed her every time she had a bowel movement. Gastroenteritis can significantly add to e-mail burden, apparently.)
There’s no doubt that e-mail will soon become the primary way to communicate with patients. Based on our experience at KP, this will ultimately be to the benefit of both doctors and patients. A June 2014 survey by Catalyst Healthcare Research showed that 93% of patients preferred to see a physician who offers e-mail communication with his or her patients. More than one-quarter of those respondents said they’d be willing to pay a $25 charge for such communication. It’s not surprising; as with all businesses, not just medicine, that patients want more channels of communication, not fewer. Fortunately for them, many of today’s medical residents are being trained to use electronic communication with patients. For instance, a 2013 study published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal found that 57% of residents used e-mail to communicate with patients.
My wife finished reading the Jackson Hole Daily newspaper and outlined our hike to Taggart Lake. And I finished answering my messages. The guy sitting next to me is still tapping away at his keyboard. I make eye contact and say, “Almost done?” “Yup,” he replies, “Better for me to just knock it out now, because I’ll just have to deal with it on Monday.” I agree.
Susan and I pack up and head for the trail, which is thankfully connection free. Let’s just hope we don’t run into any bears.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
I’ve never lived in a world without e-mail. No, I’m not one of those millennial kids; e-mail has been around for a long time. Sending messages between computers dates to the 1960s, but most people consider 1971 to be the birth of e-mail. That’s when Ray Tomlinson added the @ symbol to separate users’ names from their e-mail addresses.
Today, e-mail is ubiquitous. You can e-mail your mother, your colleagues, or your cable company. You can even e-mail the president of the United States. Other than the pope and most physicians, there aren’t many people you cannot e-mail. (Although, interestingly, you can reach His Holiness on Twitter @Pontifex.)
We physicians have historically had a few good reasons to avoid e-mailing patients, but many of those objections are unwarranted. As part the meaningful use EHR incentive program from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, secure messaging will now be required to be eligible for rewards. Although many physicians cite security as a concern, most electronic medical record systems now have patient portals that allow for secure, safe messaging. Encroachment into private time, however, is still a concern for many physicians.
At Kaiser Permanente (KP), we’ve been using secure e-mails with our patients for more than 5 years. When we started, I had some of the same concerns as most doctors: When am I going to have time to do this? What types of questions will patients send? As it turns out, the system has been wildly popular for patients. In 2013 alone, we replied to more than 14 million patient messages. We encourage our patients to use e-mail to stay connected with us, because it leads to improved patient experiences and improved outcomes.
Managing e-mail in-boxes is difficult work, and we KP physicians constantly try to find ways to be more efficient. E-mail does sometimes encroach on my personal time, but I’ve discovered that’s okay. As it turns out, e-mail encroaches on my entrepreneurial brother’s personal time, my financial planner’s personal time, and my plumber’s personal time. Being always connected is a modern luxury and a curse. It’s also part of being a professional.
Here are some steps I’ve taken to manage my patient e-mails. First, I always remember that this electronic message is connected to a real person with real worry. Second, I remember how appreciative patients are to get a message from their doctor. E-mail a patient after 8 p.m., and they will never forget you. Third, clearly delineate time to take care of business. It never feels burdensome in part because I am in control. I choose to e-mail patients not because I have to but because I’m that doctor and it makes me feel good.
This weekend, for example, I did patient messages in a Jackson Hole, Wyo., coffee shop while on vacation. Just as I opened my computer, I noticed a young guy in a fleece jacket next to me checking his e-mail while his wife and two kids enjoyed muffins and hot cocoa. While I was waiting for my wife, Susan, to order our lattes, I overheard him make a call to his office: “Yes, I’m out, but why don’t you e-mail me that and I’ll get right back to you.”
I’m right with you, buddy, I think. I use my token and the wifi there in Wyoming to access my patient e-mails. There are only five. The messages are like most I receive: “I have a new spot,” or “The cream you gave me isn’t working,” or “My acne is better, so should I reduce the spironolactone?” I hammer replies out in 10 minutes.
My wife returns with lattes and opens the local paper while I review 14 biopsy results from 2 days ago. For most of them, I use a template and the secure e-mail to send patients their results. I then send a few notes to some patients, advising them to follow up with me for excisional surgeries.
The work I was doing was not additive; the questions my patients sent would have had to be addressed at some time. In fact, if they had called, then they would have left a message with a nurse who would have sent a message to me, which I would have had to reply to, and then send the message back to the nurse who would have to reply to the patient.
Despite our love/hate relationship with it, e-mail has been one of the great innovations of the 20th century, and it is the primary form of communication in the business world. According to one study, more than 100 billion business e-mails were sent and received every day in 2013. Yet, fewer than one-third of physicians use e-mail to communicate with their patients.Personally, I have found patients to be generally understanding, courteous, and appreciative of e-mail. Of course, there are a few who don’t follow good etiquette. (One of my primary care colleagues relates a story of a patient who e-mailed her every time she had a bowel movement. Gastroenteritis can significantly add to e-mail burden, apparently.)
There’s no doubt that e-mail will soon become the primary way to communicate with patients. Based on our experience at KP, this will ultimately be to the benefit of both doctors and patients. A June 2014 survey by Catalyst Healthcare Research showed that 93% of patients preferred to see a physician who offers e-mail communication with his or her patients. More than one-quarter of those respondents said they’d be willing to pay a $25 charge for such communication. It’s not surprising; as with all businesses, not just medicine, that patients want more channels of communication, not fewer. Fortunately for them, many of today’s medical residents are being trained to use electronic communication with patients. For instance, a 2013 study published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal found that 57% of residents used e-mail to communicate with patients.
My wife finished reading the Jackson Hole Daily newspaper and outlined our hike to Taggart Lake. And I finished answering my messages. The guy sitting next to me is still tapping away at his keyboard. I make eye contact and say, “Almost done?” “Yup,” he replies, “Better for me to just knock it out now, because I’ll just have to deal with it on Monday.” I agree.
Susan and I pack up and head for the trail, which is thankfully connection free. Let’s just hope we don’t run into any bears.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
I’ve never lived in a world without e-mail. No, I’m not one of those millennial kids; e-mail has been around for a long time. Sending messages between computers dates to the 1960s, but most people consider 1971 to be the birth of e-mail. That’s when Ray Tomlinson added the @ symbol to separate users’ names from their e-mail addresses.
Today, e-mail is ubiquitous. You can e-mail your mother, your colleagues, or your cable company. You can even e-mail the president of the United States. Other than the pope and most physicians, there aren’t many people you cannot e-mail. (Although, interestingly, you can reach His Holiness on Twitter @Pontifex.)
We physicians have historically had a few good reasons to avoid e-mailing patients, but many of those objections are unwarranted. As part the meaningful use EHR incentive program from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, secure messaging will now be required to be eligible for rewards. Although many physicians cite security as a concern, most electronic medical record systems now have patient portals that allow for secure, safe messaging. Encroachment into private time, however, is still a concern for many physicians.
At Kaiser Permanente (KP), we’ve been using secure e-mails with our patients for more than 5 years. When we started, I had some of the same concerns as most doctors: When am I going to have time to do this? What types of questions will patients send? As it turns out, the system has been wildly popular for patients. In 2013 alone, we replied to more than 14 million patient messages. We encourage our patients to use e-mail to stay connected with us, because it leads to improved patient experiences and improved outcomes.
Managing e-mail in-boxes is difficult work, and we KP physicians constantly try to find ways to be more efficient. E-mail does sometimes encroach on my personal time, but I’ve discovered that’s okay. As it turns out, e-mail encroaches on my entrepreneurial brother’s personal time, my financial planner’s personal time, and my plumber’s personal time. Being always connected is a modern luxury and a curse. It’s also part of being a professional.
Here are some steps I’ve taken to manage my patient e-mails. First, I always remember that this electronic message is connected to a real person with real worry. Second, I remember how appreciative patients are to get a message from their doctor. E-mail a patient after 8 p.m., and they will never forget you. Third, clearly delineate time to take care of business. It never feels burdensome in part because I am in control. I choose to e-mail patients not because I have to but because I’m that doctor and it makes me feel good.
This weekend, for example, I did patient messages in a Jackson Hole, Wyo., coffee shop while on vacation. Just as I opened my computer, I noticed a young guy in a fleece jacket next to me checking his e-mail while his wife and two kids enjoyed muffins and hot cocoa. While I was waiting for my wife, Susan, to order our lattes, I overheard him make a call to his office: “Yes, I’m out, but why don’t you e-mail me that and I’ll get right back to you.”
I’m right with you, buddy, I think. I use my token and the wifi there in Wyoming to access my patient e-mails. There are only five. The messages are like most I receive: “I have a new spot,” or “The cream you gave me isn’t working,” or “My acne is better, so should I reduce the spironolactone?” I hammer replies out in 10 minutes.
My wife returns with lattes and opens the local paper while I review 14 biopsy results from 2 days ago. For most of them, I use a template and the secure e-mail to send patients their results. I then send a few notes to some patients, advising them to follow up with me for excisional surgeries.
The work I was doing was not additive; the questions my patients sent would have had to be addressed at some time. In fact, if they had called, then they would have left a message with a nurse who would have sent a message to me, which I would have had to reply to, and then send the message back to the nurse who would have to reply to the patient.
Despite our love/hate relationship with it, e-mail has been one of the great innovations of the 20th century, and it is the primary form of communication in the business world. According to one study, more than 100 billion business e-mails were sent and received every day in 2013. Yet, fewer than one-third of physicians use e-mail to communicate with their patients.Personally, I have found patients to be generally understanding, courteous, and appreciative of e-mail. Of course, there are a few who don’t follow good etiquette. (One of my primary care colleagues relates a story of a patient who e-mailed her every time she had a bowel movement. Gastroenteritis can significantly add to e-mail burden, apparently.)
There’s no doubt that e-mail will soon become the primary way to communicate with patients. Based on our experience at KP, this will ultimately be to the benefit of both doctors and patients. A June 2014 survey by Catalyst Healthcare Research showed that 93% of patients preferred to see a physician who offers e-mail communication with his or her patients. More than one-quarter of those respondents said they’d be willing to pay a $25 charge for such communication. It’s not surprising; as with all businesses, not just medicine, that patients want more channels of communication, not fewer. Fortunately for them, many of today’s medical residents are being trained to use electronic communication with patients. For instance, a 2013 study published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal found that 57% of residents used e-mail to communicate with patients.
My wife finished reading the Jackson Hole Daily newspaper and outlined our hike to Taggart Lake. And I finished answering my messages. The guy sitting next to me is still tapping away at his keyboard. I make eye contact and say, “Almost done?” “Yup,” he replies, “Better for me to just knock it out now, because I’ll just have to deal with it on Monday.” I agree.
Susan and I pack up and head for the trail, which is thankfully connection free. Let’s just hope we don’t run into any bears.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego, and volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
Beware these pitfalls when seeking a social media consultant
In my last column, I addressed the question of whether or not to outsource your practice’s social media efforts. While some medical practices do their own social media, others simply don’t have the time, resources, or desire to do it themselves. That’s where social media consultants come in. Hiring the right consultant offers numerous benefits such as devising a strategic plan that aligns with your practice’s unique goals, as well helping you develop and market your personal brand.
Last time, I offered guidelines to help you choose the right consultant for your practice. This time, I’ll offer some pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency. If a consultant promises any of the following, be skeptical:
• Thousands of followers in just a few weeks! Authentic social media takes time because it’s about building relationships. There are digital programs that let you buy followers, but I don’t recommend them. It’s much better to have a smaller, genuine, truly engaged target audience than a huge, inauthentic one. Building a genuine target audience takes longer to cultivate, but it is far more effective in the long run.
• Your videos will go viral! We’ve all seen videos that have gone viral (many involve grumpy cats, which I don’t recommend using for your brand). Chances are if you’re making a 2-minute video on how to treat rosacea or ringworm, it won’t go viral. (Unless it involves a grumpy cat.) Instead, focus on realistic expectations. Your consultant should offer creative ways to market your brand, whether it’s video or text. But getting hung up on going viral is like waiting to win the lottery. It’s better to regularly create and share high-quality content that over time will garner an audience.
• You’ll double your patients in weeks! The number one way physicians acquire new patients is through word of mouth. Social media is word of mouth enhanced by technology, so it has the potential to grow your patient base. But it takes time. If acquiring new patients is one of your goals, then be certain that your consultant creates a realistic plan to achieve that goal.
• We’re your one-stop shop! Although I advocate using social media to market your practice, I believe it should be only one spoke in your marketing wheel. Traditional forms of marketing, such as newspaper and magazine advertisements, newsletters, and local radio and television appearances, still offer real benefits for many practices. If someone is trying to convince you to abandon all your other marketing efforts, be cautious.
• We’ve had 100% success with all of our clients! Would you believe your fellow doctor if he said he hadn’t had a patient complaint in 3 years? I didn’t think so. Don’t believe a consultant who tells you he’s never made mistakes or had an unhappy client. Ask what a consultant has learned from negative and positive experiences. What insight have they gleaned from that unsuccessful experience? How can these insights help when devising your strategy?
With these guidelines in place, you’re putting your practice and your reputation in safer hands.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
In my last column, I addressed the question of whether or not to outsource your practice’s social media efforts. While some medical practices do their own social media, others simply don’t have the time, resources, or desire to do it themselves. That’s where social media consultants come in. Hiring the right consultant offers numerous benefits such as devising a strategic plan that aligns with your practice’s unique goals, as well helping you develop and market your personal brand.
Last time, I offered guidelines to help you choose the right consultant for your practice. This time, I’ll offer some pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency. If a consultant promises any of the following, be skeptical:
• Thousands of followers in just a few weeks! Authentic social media takes time because it’s about building relationships. There are digital programs that let you buy followers, but I don’t recommend them. It’s much better to have a smaller, genuine, truly engaged target audience than a huge, inauthentic one. Building a genuine target audience takes longer to cultivate, but it is far more effective in the long run.
• Your videos will go viral! We’ve all seen videos that have gone viral (many involve grumpy cats, which I don’t recommend using for your brand). Chances are if you’re making a 2-minute video on how to treat rosacea or ringworm, it won’t go viral. (Unless it involves a grumpy cat.) Instead, focus on realistic expectations. Your consultant should offer creative ways to market your brand, whether it’s video or text. But getting hung up on going viral is like waiting to win the lottery. It’s better to regularly create and share high-quality content that over time will garner an audience.
• You’ll double your patients in weeks! The number one way physicians acquire new patients is through word of mouth. Social media is word of mouth enhanced by technology, so it has the potential to grow your patient base. But it takes time. If acquiring new patients is one of your goals, then be certain that your consultant creates a realistic plan to achieve that goal.
• We’re your one-stop shop! Although I advocate using social media to market your practice, I believe it should be only one spoke in your marketing wheel. Traditional forms of marketing, such as newspaper and magazine advertisements, newsletters, and local radio and television appearances, still offer real benefits for many practices. If someone is trying to convince you to abandon all your other marketing efforts, be cautious.
• We’ve had 100% success with all of our clients! Would you believe your fellow doctor if he said he hadn’t had a patient complaint in 3 years? I didn’t think so. Don’t believe a consultant who tells you he’s never made mistakes or had an unhappy client. Ask what a consultant has learned from negative and positive experiences. What insight have they gleaned from that unsuccessful experience? How can these insights help when devising your strategy?
With these guidelines in place, you’re putting your practice and your reputation in safer hands.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
In my last column, I addressed the question of whether or not to outsource your practice’s social media efforts. While some medical practices do their own social media, others simply don’t have the time, resources, or desire to do it themselves. That’s where social media consultants come in. Hiring the right consultant offers numerous benefits such as devising a strategic plan that aligns with your practice’s unique goals, as well helping you develop and market your personal brand.
Last time, I offered guidelines to help you choose the right consultant for your practice. This time, I’ll offer some pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency. If a consultant promises any of the following, be skeptical:
• Thousands of followers in just a few weeks! Authentic social media takes time because it’s about building relationships. There are digital programs that let you buy followers, but I don’t recommend them. It’s much better to have a smaller, genuine, truly engaged target audience than a huge, inauthentic one. Building a genuine target audience takes longer to cultivate, but it is far more effective in the long run.
• Your videos will go viral! We’ve all seen videos that have gone viral (many involve grumpy cats, which I don’t recommend using for your brand). Chances are if you’re making a 2-minute video on how to treat rosacea or ringworm, it won’t go viral. (Unless it involves a grumpy cat.) Instead, focus on realistic expectations. Your consultant should offer creative ways to market your brand, whether it’s video or text. But getting hung up on going viral is like waiting to win the lottery. It’s better to regularly create and share high-quality content that over time will garner an audience.
• You’ll double your patients in weeks! The number one way physicians acquire new patients is through word of mouth. Social media is word of mouth enhanced by technology, so it has the potential to grow your patient base. But it takes time. If acquiring new patients is one of your goals, then be certain that your consultant creates a realistic plan to achieve that goal.
• We’re your one-stop shop! Although I advocate using social media to market your practice, I believe it should be only one spoke in your marketing wheel. Traditional forms of marketing, such as newspaper and magazine advertisements, newsletters, and local radio and television appearances, still offer real benefits for many practices. If someone is trying to convince you to abandon all your other marketing efforts, be cautious.
• We’ve had 100% success with all of our clients! Would you believe your fellow doctor if he said he hadn’t had a patient complaint in 3 years? I didn’t think so. Don’t believe a consultant who tells you he’s never made mistakes or had an unhappy client. Ask what a consultant has learned from negative and positive experiences. What insight have they gleaned from that unsuccessful experience? How can these insights help when devising your strategy?
With these guidelines in place, you’re putting your practice and your reputation in safer hands.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
Should you hire a social media consultant?
Over the last few years, I have spoken with hundreds of physicians who tell me that they want to be engaged on social media, but they just don’t have the time or resources. I understand. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to consider hiring a social media consultant.
Hiring the right social media consultant or agency for your medical practice can provide many benefits, including:
• Shaping and marketing your brand.
• Handling daily social media updates and tasks.
• Devising a strategic plan to engage with social media influencers in your specialty.
• Developing a strategic plan to engage with your desired audience. Do you want new patients? More traffic to your practice website?
• Directing you to the best social media platforms for your specific goals, such as Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest.
• If applicable, developing a plan to promote and market your products and unique services.
• Coaching you and your staff to become better and more efficient at social media.
• Helping you navigate social media analytics.
• Taking the stress off doing it all yourself.
There is no foolproof formula for choosing the best social media consultant for your practice, but here are some key points to keep in mind when considering candidates:
• Do they have experience? How long have they been consulting? How many clients have they had? How many do they currently have? Have they been published online or in print magazines? Do they teach any courses, either online or in person? Do they have success stories they can share?
• Check out their website. It is modern? User friendly? Does it include bios of the employees and client testimonials?
• Check out their social media involvement. Are they actively engaged on social media sites that they suggest you use? Look at their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest accounts, as well as any other sites they may use.
• Are they willing to create unique content for your practice? Some agencies create boilerplate content that they use on multiple client sites. You want to be certain that the content they create for your practice aligns with your marketing and branding goals.
• Do you like them? This is a critical question because social media is, by nature, social. Do the staff members of your potential agency have likable personalities? Are they good listeners? Do they respond promptly to e-mails and phone calls? Do they seem confident or perpetually stressed?
• Do they understand your business? If the firm you hire has only restaurants as clients, then you might be at a disadvantage. Make certain that whomever you hire understands your area of medicine and has a track record of success with medical practices.
• Do they have clearly defined costs? Many firms will offer pricing based on 1- to 3-month intervals. Will they be creating and posting new content daily, weekly, biweekly? Will they work weekends and off-hours? How frequently will they meet with you in person? All of these factors will affect price. Of course, the more hands-on your social media consultants are, the higher the price is likely to be.
Outsourcing your social media is a decision that you and staff must consider carefully. As with most important decisions, it’s advisable to interview several different firms before choosing one. As for price, it ranges dramatically. Some agencies might charge $300 a month, while others might charge $3,000. It’s up to you and your office staff to determine which agency is best suited for your practice’s budget, needs, and goals.
In my next column, I’ll address pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is on Twitter @Dermdoc.
Over the last few years, I have spoken with hundreds of physicians who tell me that they want to be engaged on social media, but they just don’t have the time or resources. I understand. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to consider hiring a social media consultant.
Hiring the right social media consultant or agency for your medical practice can provide many benefits, including:
• Shaping and marketing your brand.
• Handling daily social media updates and tasks.
• Devising a strategic plan to engage with social media influencers in your specialty.
• Developing a strategic plan to engage with your desired audience. Do you want new patients? More traffic to your practice website?
• Directing you to the best social media platforms for your specific goals, such as Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest.
• If applicable, developing a plan to promote and market your products and unique services.
• Coaching you and your staff to become better and more efficient at social media.
• Helping you navigate social media analytics.
• Taking the stress off doing it all yourself.
There is no foolproof formula for choosing the best social media consultant for your practice, but here are some key points to keep in mind when considering candidates:
• Do they have experience? How long have they been consulting? How many clients have they had? How many do they currently have? Have they been published online or in print magazines? Do they teach any courses, either online or in person? Do they have success stories they can share?
• Check out their website. It is modern? User friendly? Does it include bios of the employees and client testimonials?
• Check out their social media involvement. Are they actively engaged on social media sites that they suggest you use? Look at their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest accounts, as well as any other sites they may use.
• Are they willing to create unique content for your practice? Some agencies create boilerplate content that they use on multiple client sites. You want to be certain that the content they create for your practice aligns with your marketing and branding goals.
• Do you like them? This is a critical question because social media is, by nature, social. Do the staff members of your potential agency have likable personalities? Are they good listeners? Do they respond promptly to e-mails and phone calls? Do they seem confident or perpetually stressed?
• Do they understand your business? If the firm you hire has only restaurants as clients, then you might be at a disadvantage. Make certain that whomever you hire understands your area of medicine and has a track record of success with medical practices.
• Do they have clearly defined costs? Many firms will offer pricing based on 1- to 3-month intervals. Will they be creating and posting new content daily, weekly, biweekly? Will they work weekends and off-hours? How frequently will they meet with you in person? All of these factors will affect price. Of course, the more hands-on your social media consultants are, the higher the price is likely to be.
Outsourcing your social media is a decision that you and staff must consider carefully. As with most important decisions, it’s advisable to interview several different firms before choosing one. As for price, it ranges dramatically. Some agencies might charge $300 a month, while others might charge $3,000. It’s up to you and your office staff to determine which agency is best suited for your practice’s budget, needs, and goals.
In my next column, I’ll address pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is on Twitter @Dermdoc.
Over the last few years, I have spoken with hundreds of physicians who tell me that they want to be engaged on social media, but they just don’t have the time or resources. I understand. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to consider hiring a social media consultant.
Hiring the right social media consultant or agency for your medical practice can provide many benefits, including:
• Shaping and marketing your brand.
• Handling daily social media updates and tasks.
• Devising a strategic plan to engage with social media influencers in your specialty.
• Developing a strategic plan to engage with your desired audience. Do you want new patients? More traffic to your practice website?
• Directing you to the best social media platforms for your specific goals, such as Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest.
• If applicable, developing a plan to promote and market your products and unique services.
• Coaching you and your staff to become better and more efficient at social media.
• Helping you navigate social media analytics.
• Taking the stress off doing it all yourself.
There is no foolproof formula for choosing the best social media consultant for your practice, but here are some key points to keep in mind when considering candidates:
• Do they have experience? How long have they been consulting? How many clients have they had? How many do they currently have? Have they been published online or in print magazines? Do they teach any courses, either online or in person? Do they have success stories they can share?
• Check out their website. It is modern? User friendly? Does it include bios of the employees and client testimonials?
• Check out their social media involvement. Are they actively engaged on social media sites that they suggest you use? Look at their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest accounts, as well as any other sites they may use.
• Are they willing to create unique content for your practice? Some agencies create boilerplate content that they use on multiple client sites. You want to be certain that the content they create for your practice aligns with your marketing and branding goals.
• Do you like them? This is a critical question because social media is, by nature, social. Do the staff members of your potential agency have likable personalities? Are they good listeners? Do they respond promptly to e-mails and phone calls? Do they seem confident or perpetually stressed?
• Do they understand your business? If the firm you hire has only restaurants as clients, then you might be at a disadvantage. Make certain that whomever you hire understands your area of medicine and has a track record of success with medical practices.
• Do they have clearly defined costs? Many firms will offer pricing based on 1- to 3-month intervals. Will they be creating and posting new content daily, weekly, biweekly? Will they work weekends and off-hours? How frequently will they meet with you in person? All of these factors will affect price. Of course, the more hands-on your social media consultants are, the higher the price is likely to be.
Outsourcing your social media is a decision that you and staff must consider carefully. As with most important decisions, it’s advisable to interview several different firms before choosing one. As for price, it ranges dramatically. Some agencies might charge $300 a month, while others might charge $3,000. It’s up to you and your office staff to determine which agency is best suited for your practice’s budget, needs, and goals.
In my next column, I’ll address pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is on Twitter @Dermdoc.
About 5 years ago, when I first started speaking to physicians about social media, I’d ask my audience how many of them used Twitter. Typically, one or two hands would go up. Last month I asked my audience of physicians how many were on Twitter, and about 30 people raised their hands.
According to a recent report by London-based FierceHealthcare, only 23 healthcare professionals signed up for Twitter when it launched in 2006. Today, there are over 75,000 healthcare professionals on the site, with the number rising.
Why are they on Twitter? Let’s look at Twitter’s mission statement: "To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers." That’s what we’re hardwired to do: Share ideas and information with each other. Which is why individuals from physicians to celebrities to retired grandparents are on Twitter creating and sharing ideas. Currently, there are over 255 million active Twitter users sending out approximately 500 million tweets a day.
Because Twitter is a real-time social platform, it enables conversations. Topics of conversation are tagged through the use of the # symbol, called a hashtag. If, for example, you’re a dermatologist with an interest in reaching out to teens, you might create the following tweet: "Don’t know what foods are good and bad for #acne? Check out our post on best foods for healthy skin." Then you would include the link to the post on your practice website. Anyone searching for information on diet and acne will easily find your tweet and be able to link through to your website.
Twitter is also unique in that posts, referred to as "tweets," are limited to 140 characters. So, it forces you to be concise and specific and encourages other uses to respond to your tweet or to share it, ("retweeting").
This column isn’t about the nuts and bolts of how to use Twitter; there are numerous tutorials online for that. Simply search "Twitter tutorial," and you’ll get dozens of hits. Instead, I’d like you to see the potential Twitter offers you and your practice.
• Get lots of exposure for minimal investment. I typically spend about 20 minutes a day on Twitter. Since posts are so short, I can scan conversations quickly and easily.
• Reach your target audience quickly and easily with Twitter’s great search ability. For example, a dermatologist might tweet about #skincancer, but a psychiatrist might tweet about #anxiety or #depression, while an oncologist might focus on #ovariancancer or #breastcancer.
• Build and maintain your brand and online reputation. I often tweet about skin care tips and skin cancer facts using the hashtags #dermtip and #skincancer, respectively. Doing so allows me to interact with other healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. And it lets those people know that I’m a dermatologist who cares about these topics. For example, a recent tweet of mine was retweeted (shared by others) 28 times: "Squamous cell carcinoma has risen 700% in women under 40. There’s no such thing as a safe tan. #skincancer #womenshealth."
• Become a more active member of your medical community. The website www.symplur.com has created The Healthcare Hashtag Project which allows you to discover healthcare conversations taking place on Twitter, including conferences, and who to follow in your specialty. They also list tweet chats that are real-time online chats about specific healthcare topics. Examples include #alzchat (an Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving chat), #rheum (a rheumatoid arthritis chat), and #bcsm (a chat about the intersection of breast cancer and all things social media). Becoming an active participant in chats can help build your online reputation as an expert in the field.
• Improve quality of care by disseminating accurate information. As with any social platform, misinformation abounds about health and healthcare. As a physician you can post vetted information and become a trusted source of knowledge both online and in person. For example, a tweet of mine in April included a link to a newly published study about rising rates of melanoma in adolescents. It read: "Scary truth: #melanoma is rising in kids & teens. 77% aged 15-19 yrs." Then I included the link to the study.
• Engage for an effective networking tool. For example, my interactions on Twitter have led to invitations to speak at conferences as well as media queries. It has also broadened my circle of friends, as I have become real-life friends with people I initially met through Twitter.
• Stay abreast of information from conferences that you can’t attend. Most conferences today use an official hashtag that allows people all over the world to track what is being said at the conference and to engage with conference attendees.
• Create traffic and potential referrals to your practice website. As mentioned earlier in the column, linking tweets to posts is another way to introduce potential patients to your practice via your website. Satisfied patients may retweet your tweets, too.
Are you on Twitter? If so, do you like using it? Has it been helpful to you? Let us know. And if you follow me on Twitter (I’m @dermdoc), I’ll follow you back.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
About 5 years ago, when I first started speaking to physicians about social media, I’d ask my audience how many of them used Twitter. Typically, one or two hands would go up. Last month I asked my audience of physicians how many were on Twitter, and about 30 people raised their hands.
According to a recent report by London-based FierceHealthcare, only 23 healthcare professionals signed up for Twitter when it launched in 2006. Today, there are over 75,000 healthcare professionals on the site, with the number rising.
Why are they on Twitter? Let’s look at Twitter’s mission statement: "To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers." That’s what we’re hardwired to do: Share ideas and information with each other. Which is why individuals from physicians to celebrities to retired grandparents are on Twitter creating and sharing ideas. Currently, there are over 255 million active Twitter users sending out approximately 500 million tweets a day.
Because Twitter is a real-time social platform, it enables conversations. Topics of conversation are tagged through the use of the # symbol, called a hashtag. If, for example, you’re a dermatologist with an interest in reaching out to teens, you might create the following tweet: "Don’t know what foods are good and bad for #acne? Check out our post on best foods for healthy skin." Then you would include the link to the post on your practice website. Anyone searching for information on diet and acne will easily find your tweet and be able to link through to your website.
Twitter is also unique in that posts, referred to as "tweets," are limited to 140 characters. So, it forces you to be concise and specific and encourages other uses to respond to your tweet or to share it, ("retweeting").
This column isn’t about the nuts and bolts of how to use Twitter; there are numerous tutorials online for that. Simply search "Twitter tutorial," and you’ll get dozens of hits. Instead, I’d like you to see the potential Twitter offers you and your practice.
• Get lots of exposure for minimal investment. I typically spend about 20 minutes a day on Twitter. Since posts are so short, I can scan conversations quickly and easily.
• Reach your target audience quickly and easily with Twitter’s great search ability. For example, a dermatologist might tweet about #skincancer, but a psychiatrist might tweet about #anxiety or #depression, while an oncologist might focus on #ovariancancer or #breastcancer.
• Build and maintain your brand and online reputation. I often tweet about skin care tips and skin cancer facts using the hashtags #dermtip and #skincancer, respectively. Doing so allows me to interact with other healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. And it lets those people know that I’m a dermatologist who cares about these topics. For example, a recent tweet of mine was retweeted (shared by others) 28 times: "Squamous cell carcinoma has risen 700% in women under 40. There’s no such thing as a safe tan. #skincancer #womenshealth."
• Become a more active member of your medical community. The website www.symplur.com has created The Healthcare Hashtag Project which allows you to discover healthcare conversations taking place on Twitter, including conferences, and who to follow in your specialty. They also list tweet chats that are real-time online chats about specific healthcare topics. Examples include #alzchat (an Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving chat), #rheum (a rheumatoid arthritis chat), and #bcsm (a chat about the intersection of breast cancer and all things social media). Becoming an active participant in chats can help build your online reputation as an expert in the field.
• Improve quality of care by disseminating accurate information. As with any social platform, misinformation abounds about health and healthcare. As a physician you can post vetted information and become a trusted source of knowledge both online and in person. For example, a tweet of mine in April included a link to a newly published study about rising rates of melanoma in adolescents. It read: "Scary truth: #melanoma is rising in kids & teens. 77% aged 15-19 yrs." Then I included the link to the study.
• Engage for an effective networking tool. For example, my interactions on Twitter have led to invitations to speak at conferences as well as media queries. It has also broadened my circle of friends, as I have become real-life friends with people I initially met through Twitter.
• Stay abreast of information from conferences that you can’t attend. Most conferences today use an official hashtag that allows people all over the world to track what is being said at the conference and to engage with conference attendees.
• Create traffic and potential referrals to your practice website. As mentioned earlier in the column, linking tweets to posts is another way to introduce potential patients to your practice via your website. Satisfied patients may retweet your tweets, too.
Are you on Twitter? If so, do you like using it? Has it been helpful to you? Let us know. And if you follow me on Twitter (I’m @dermdoc), I’ll follow you back.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
About 5 years ago, when I first started speaking to physicians about social media, I’d ask my audience how many of them used Twitter. Typically, one or two hands would go up. Last month I asked my audience of physicians how many were on Twitter, and about 30 people raised their hands.
According to a recent report by London-based FierceHealthcare, only 23 healthcare professionals signed up for Twitter when it launched in 2006. Today, there are over 75,000 healthcare professionals on the site, with the number rising.
Why are they on Twitter? Let’s look at Twitter’s mission statement: "To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers." That’s what we’re hardwired to do: Share ideas and information with each other. Which is why individuals from physicians to celebrities to retired grandparents are on Twitter creating and sharing ideas. Currently, there are over 255 million active Twitter users sending out approximately 500 million tweets a day.
Because Twitter is a real-time social platform, it enables conversations. Topics of conversation are tagged through the use of the # symbol, called a hashtag. If, for example, you’re a dermatologist with an interest in reaching out to teens, you might create the following tweet: "Don’t know what foods are good and bad for #acne? Check out our post on best foods for healthy skin." Then you would include the link to the post on your practice website. Anyone searching for information on diet and acne will easily find your tweet and be able to link through to your website.
Twitter is also unique in that posts, referred to as "tweets," are limited to 140 characters. So, it forces you to be concise and specific and encourages other uses to respond to your tweet or to share it, ("retweeting").
This column isn’t about the nuts and bolts of how to use Twitter; there are numerous tutorials online for that. Simply search "Twitter tutorial," and you’ll get dozens of hits. Instead, I’d like you to see the potential Twitter offers you and your practice.
• Get lots of exposure for minimal investment. I typically spend about 20 minutes a day on Twitter. Since posts are so short, I can scan conversations quickly and easily.
• Reach your target audience quickly and easily with Twitter’s great search ability. For example, a dermatologist might tweet about #skincancer, but a psychiatrist might tweet about #anxiety or #depression, while an oncologist might focus on #ovariancancer or #breastcancer.
• Build and maintain your brand and online reputation. I often tweet about skin care tips and skin cancer facts using the hashtags #dermtip and #skincancer, respectively. Doing so allows me to interact with other healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. And it lets those people know that I’m a dermatologist who cares about these topics. For example, a recent tweet of mine was retweeted (shared by others) 28 times: "Squamous cell carcinoma has risen 700% in women under 40. There’s no such thing as a safe tan. #skincancer #womenshealth."
• Become a more active member of your medical community. The website www.symplur.com has created The Healthcare Hashtag Project which allows you to discover healthcare conversations taking place on Twitter, including conferences, and who to follow in your specialty. They also list tweet chats that are real-time online chats about specific healthcare topics. Examples include #alzchat (an Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving chat), #rheum (a rheumatoid arthritis chat), and #bcsm (a chat about the intersection of breast cancer and all things social media). Becoming an active participant in chats can help build your online reputation as an expert in the field.
• Improve quality of care by disseminating accurate information. As with any social platform, misinformation abounds about health and healthcare. As a physician you can post vetted information and become a trusted source of knowledge both online and in person. For example, a tweet of mine in April included a link to a newly published study about rising rates of melanoma in adolescents. It read: "Scary truth: #melanoma is rising in kids & teens. 77% aged 15-19 yrs." Then I included the link to the study.
• Engage for an effective networking tool. For example, my interactions on Twitter have led to invitations to speak at conferences as well as media queries. It has also broadened my circle of friends, as I have become real-life friends with people I initially met through Twitter.
• Stay abreast of information from conferences that you can’t attend. Most conferences today use an official hashtag that allows people all over the world to track what is being said at the conference and to engage with conference attendees.
• Create traffic and potential referrals to your practice website. As mentioned earlier in the column, linking tweets to posts is another way to introduce potential patients to your practice via your website. Satisfied patients may retweet your tweets, too.
Are you on Twitter? If so, do you like using it? Has it been helpful to you? Let us know. And if you follow me on Twitter (I’m @dermdoc), I’ll follow you back.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @dermdoc on Twitter.
RealSelf
If you have patients who express interest in cosmetic procedures, and especially if you are a cosmetic dermatologist or a plastic surgeon, you might want to familiarize yourself with RealSelf.com. Founded in 2006, RealSelf is an online community for learning and sharing information about cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and other elective treatments. In 2013, the site had 36 million unique visitors, and it is expected to grow.
Why might RealSelf be relevant for you? Simply put, it’s another channel to market you and your practice. It works by allowing physicians to answer users’ questions about cosmetic procedures ranging from rhinoplasty and liposuction to tattoo removal and Botox. Over time, your participation can lead to new consultations at your practice.
To ensure credibility, physicians must be board-certified in order to join RealSelf’s physician community. There is an element of game mechanics: The more active the physician, the more exposure his or her profile and practice receives. Similarly, paid subscriptions lead to more exposure than free subscriptions (more on this later.) Although this model does not appeal to some physicians, many of them do like the platform, and see it as a way to build a reputation as an expert and to market their practices.
Unlike doctor review sites that focus on the physician, RealSelf focuses on the procedure. For each procedure, users will find actual patient reviews and before and after photos, as well as Q&A’s with board-certified physicians. Users will also find licensed physicians in their area as well as the average cost for the procedure. RealSelf believes that patients value transparency, and including prices creates transparency.
Since most patients genuinely want to help other patients make informed medical decisions, the reviews tend to be thoughtful and thorough, and many of them contain multiple before-and-after photos. As a physician perusing the patient reviews, you’ll start to notice that most of them are reasonable. For example, customer satisfaction with laser treatment for melasma was 51%, whereas satisfaction for laser treatment for rosacea was 80%.
Patients and prospective patients are flocking to the site because it allows them to share their experiences, interact with other patients, and gain access to physician experts in the field. Many patients have difficulty making decisions about cosmetic procedures; RealSelf aims to alleviate their fears and help them "make confident health and beauty decisions." If a prospective patient wants to see a video of tattoo removal or Botox injections, he or she can. If a patient wants to ask physicians their opinions, he or she can. According to RealSelf, physicians have answered over 500,000 questions on the site.
Of course, all this isn’t free for physicians. RealSelf is a business. They have a tiered membership – free, pro, and spotlight. To obtain free membership, you simply visit the site and follow the prompts to "claim your profile." Once your profile is completed, you will have access to a "doctor advisor" who can help you "optimize your visibility on the site." Both "pro" and "spotlight" offer additional benefits, such as integrating patient reviews on your practice website, promotions on Facebook and Twitter, extended directory listings, and exposure in your local area. RealSelf does not discuss costs of membership until you have claimed your profile.
Only you can determine if RealSelf is beneficial to you and your practice. If, for example, you’re not looking for new patients, then you might find it unnecessary. But at the very least, you’ll know what RealSelf is the next time a fellow cosmetic physician brings it up at a conference. And it’s never a bad idea to be familiar with current social technologies that may affect your livelihood.
If you’ve used RealSelf, let us know what you think. For more information, visit RealSelf.com.
Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in RealSelf and am not an active member.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
If you have patients who express interest in cosmetic procedures, and especially if you are a cosmetic dermatologist or a plastic surgeon, you might want to familiarize yourself with RealSelf.com. Founded in 2006, RealSelf is an online community for learning and sharing information about cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and other elective treatments. In 2013, the site had 36 million unique visitors, and it is expected to grow.
Why might RealSelf be relevant for you? Simply put, it’s another channel to market you and your practice. It works by allowing physicians to answer users’ questions about cosmetic procedures ranging from rhinoplasty and liposuction to tattoo removal and Botox. Over time, your participation can lead to new consultations at your practice.
To ensure credibility, physicians must be board-certified in order to join RealSelf’s physician community. There is an element of game mechanics: The more active the physician, the more exposure his or her profile and practice receives. Similarly, paid subscriptions lead to more exposure than free subscriptions (more on this later.) Although this model does not appeal to some physicians, many of them do like the platform, and see it as a way to build a reputation as an expert and to market their practices.
Unlike doctor review sites that focus on the physician, RealSelf focuses on the procedure. For each procedure, users will find actual patient reviews and before and after photos, as well as Q&A’s with board-certified physicians. Users will also find licensed physicians in their area as well as the average cost for the procedure. RealSelf believes that patients value transparency, and including prices creates transparency.
Since most patients genuinely want to help other patients make informed medical decisions, the reviews tend to be thoughtful and thorough, and many of them contain multiple before-and-after photos. As a physician perusing the patient reviews, you’ll start to notice that most of them are reasonable. For example, customer satisfaction with laser treatment for melasma was 51%, whereas satisfaction for laser treatment for rosacea was 80%.
Patients and prospective patients are flocking to the site because it allows them to share their experiences, interact with other patients, and gain access to physician experts in the field. Many patients have difficulty making decisions about cosmetic procedures; RealSelf aims to alleviate their fears and help them "make confident health and beauty decisions." If a prospective patient wants to see a video of tattoo removal or Botox injections, he or she can. If a patient wants to ask physicians their opinions, he or she can. According to RealSelf, physicians have answered over 500,000 questions on the site.
Of course, all this isn’t free for physicians. RealSelf is a business. They have a tiered membership – free, pro, and spotlight. To obtain free membership, you simply visit the site and follow the prompts to "claim your profile." Once your profile is completed, you will have access to a "doctor advisor" who can help you "optimize your visibility on the site." Both "pro" and "spotlight" offer additional benefits, such as integrating patient reviews on your practice website, promotions on Facebook and Twitter, extended directory listings, and exposure in your local area. RealSelf does not discuss costs of membership until you have claimed your profile.
Only you can determine if RealSelf is beneficial to you and your practice. If, for example, you’re not looking for new patients, then you might find it unnecessary. But at the very least, you’ll know what RealSelf is the next time a fellow cosmetic physician brings it up at a conference. And it’s never a bad idea to be familiar with current social technologies that may affect your livelihood.
If you’ve used RealSelf, let us know what you think. For more information, visit RealSelf.com.
Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in RealSelf and am not an active member.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
If you have patients who express interest in cosmetic procedures, and especially if you are a cosmetic dermatologist or a plastic surgeon, you might want to familiarize yourself with RealSelf.com. Founded in 2006, RealSelf is an online community for learning and sharing information about cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and other elective treatments. In 2013, the site had 36 million unique visitors, and it is expected to grow.
Why might RealSelf be relevant for you? Simply put, it’s another channel to market you and your practice. It works by allowing physicians to answer users’ questions about cosmetic procedures ranging from rhinoplasty and liposuction to tattoo removal and Botox. Over time, your participation can lead to new consultations at your practice.
To ensure credibility, physicians must be board-certified in order to join RealSelf’s physician community. There is an element of game mechanics: The more active the physician, the more exposure his or her profile and practice receives. Similarly, paid subscriptions lead to more exposure than free subscriptions (more on this later.) Although this model does not appeal to some physicians, many of them do like the platform, and see it as a way to build a reputation as an expert and to market their practices.
Unlike doctor review sites that focus on the physician, RealSelf focuses on the procedure. For each procedure, users will find actual patient reviews and before and after photos, as well as Q&A’s with board-certified physicians. Users will also find licensed physicians in their area as well as the average cost for the procedure. RealSelf believes that patients value transparency, and including prices creates transparency.
Since most patients genuinely want to help other patients make informed medical decisions, the reviews tend to be thoughtful and thorough, and many of them contain multiple before-and-after photos. As a physician perusing the patient reviews, you’ll start to notice that most of them are reasonable. For example, customer satisfaction with laser treatment for melasma was 51%, whereas satisfaction for laser treatment for rosacea was 80%.
Patients and prospective patients are flocking to the site because it allows them to share their experiences, interact with other patients, and gain access to physician experts in the field. Many patients have difficulty making decisions about cosmetic procedures; RealSelf aims to alleviate their fears and help them "make confident health and beauty decisions." If a prospective patient wants to see a video of tattoo removal or Botox injections, he or she can. If a patient wants to ask physicians their opinions, he or she can. According to RealSelf, physicians have answered over 500,000 questions on the site.
Of course, all this isn’t free for physicians. RealSelf is a business. They have a tiered membership – free, pro, and spotlight. To obtain free membership, you simply visit the site and follow the prompts to "claim your profile." Once your profile is completed, you will have access to a "doctor advisor" who can help you "optimize your visibility on the site." Both "pro" and "spotlight" offer additional benefits, such as integrating patient reviews on your practice website, promotions on Facebook and Twitter, extended directory listings, and exposure in your local area. RealSelf does not discuss costs of membership until you have claimed your profile.
Only you can determine if RealSelf is beneficial to you and your practice. If, for example, you’re not looking for new patients, then you might find it unnecessary. But at the very least, you’ll know what RealSelf is the next time a fellow cosmetic physician brings it up at a conference. And it’s never a bad idea to be familiar with current social technologies that may affect your livelihood.
If you’ve used RealSelf, let us know what you think. For more information, visit RealSelf.com.
Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in RealSelf and am not an active member.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
Pinterest as a marketing tool
My wife and I recently (and successfully) had our kitchen and bathrooms remodeled. It wouldn’t have been possible without Pinterest.
For the uninitiated, Pinterest is a wildly popular social media site that allows users to find, share, and organize images called "pins." Pinterest launched in September 2010, and today it has more than 70 million active users. It’s one of the fastest-growing social media sites in history, and it ranks as one of the Top 50 most-visited websites in the United States.
In a previous column about Pinterest, I mentioned several reasons why it’s important for your medical practice. More than 80% of Pinterest users are female, and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make 80% of health care decisions for their families. Therefore, Pinterest could be a persuasive marketing tool for physicians looking to expand their practices. Pinterest also can be an effective platform to share patient stories, to introduce your practice and staff to the public, and to show before and after images of medical procedures.
New research from Vision Critical, the world’s leading provider of Insight Communities, discovered a surprising new finding about Pinterest (published in the July-August 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review).
The researchers examined "showrooming," a phenomenon whereby shoppers visit actual stores to examine merchandise before purchasing it online. They say the threat is so intense to brick-and-mortar stores that at least one merchant has begun charging people to browse in his store! Their research, however, shows much less of a threat. Of the 3,000 social media users they surveyed, only 26% reported "regularly engaging in showrooming."
What they found more surprising was that 41% of respondents said that practice "reverse showrooming;" that is, they browse online first then purchase the product in a store. That’s exactly what my wife did when choosing and purchasing our new furniture, lighting fixtures, wallpaper, paint, and more.
This led me to contemplate how "reverse showrooming" might help a physician market his or her medical practice. First, understand that Pinterest relies on aspirational messaging. Marketers use images that tap into our desires, wants, and dreams. Pinterest typically represents our idealized selves – the fashion-forward woman, the perfect garden wedding, the sublime oceanfront hotel room. Pinterest is about the version of you that you want to become. The you with flawless skin, lustrous hair, and smooth thighs.
Pinterest can be a powerful marketing tool for dermatologists, particularly cosmetic dermatologists. Consider the Pinterest customer base: Data show that 83% of Pinterest users are female and 45% are aged 35-54 years. Consumers turn to Pinterest largely for fashion and beauty, DIY projects, home design, inspiration, education, humor, and product recommendations. In fact, Pinterest has become the No. 1 traffic driver to websites of women’s lifestyle magazines.
You can use Pinterest to drive traffic to your office website, where people can book appointments or buy products online. Although no formal data exist for physician referrals from Pinterest, the study showed that the social-to-sale purchasing power was 17% for hair and beauty products and women’s and men’s apparel.
How can Pinterest help you market your practice and encourage "pinners" to "reverse showroom" into your office? Let’s use the example of a cosmetic surgeon who is seeking to expand her patient base and promote her organic skincare product line.
Pinterest users are more likely to purchase items that are easy to find. So, if they’re looking for an organic sunscreen, and they click through the Pinterest image the doctor posted and land on her website where they can buy it, then they’ll be more apt to do so. Research shows that the likelihood of a purchase increases by an additional 34% when there are existing reviews and recommendations for the product, and 30% when there are product details provided.
Pins don’t have to be strictly medical; consider more purely social boards that relate to your specialty, such as the following examples:
Family practice doctors could use Pinterest for wellness promotion, with boards for spreading happiness, healthy recipes, and habits of healthy families. Oncologists could use Pinterest to share inspirational patient testimonials, best foods for chemotherapy patients, and support for caregivers. Ob.gyns could use Pinterest as an outreach tool for expectant and new moms with boards for breast-feeding tutorials, fashionable maternity clothing, and cool baby gear.
Pinterest has proven to deliver value to businesses. With the above recommendations, you can quickly and cost-effectively add this platform to your marketing and patient relationship efforts.
Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
My wife and I recently (and successfully) had our kitchen and bathrooms remodeled. It wouldn’t have been possible without Pinterest.
For the uninitiated, Pinterest is a wildly popular social media site that allows users to find, share, and organize images called "pins." Pinterest launched in September 2010, and today it has more than 70 million active users. It’s one of the fastest-growing social media sites in history, and it ranks as one of the Top 50 most-visited websites in the United States.
In a previous column about Pinterest, I mentioned several reasons why it’s important for your medical practice. More than 80% of Pinterest users are female, and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make 80% of health care decisions for their families. Therefore, Pinterest could be a persuasive marketing tool for physicians looking to expand their practices. Pinterest also can be an effective platform to share patient stories, to introduce your practice and staff to the public, and to show before and after images of medical procedures.
New research from Vision Critical, the world’s leading provider of Insight Communities, discovered a surprising new finding about Pinterest (published in the July-August 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review).
The researchers examined "showrooming," a phenomenon whereby shoppers visit actual stores to examine merchandise before purchasing it online. They say the threat is so intense to brick-and-mortar stores that at least one merchant has begun charging people to browse in his store! Their research, however, shows much less of a threat. Of the 3,000 social media users they surveyed, only 26% reported "regularly engaging in showrooming."
What they found more surprising was that 41% of respondents said that practice "reverse showrooming;" that is, they browse online first then purchase the product in a store. That’s exactly what my wife did when choosing and purchasing our new furniture, lighting fixtures, wallpaper, paint, and more.
This led me to contemplate how "reverse showrooming" might help a physician market his or her medical practice. First, understand that Pinterest relies on aspirational messaging. Marketers use images that tap into our desires, wants, and dreams. Pinterest typically represents our idealized selves – the fashion-forward woman, the perfect garden wedding, the sublime oceanfront hotel room. Pinterest is about the version of you that you want to become. The you with flawless skin, lustrous hair, and smooth thighs.
Pinterest can be a powerful marketing tool for dermatologists, particularly cosmetic dermatologists. Consider the Pinterest customer base: Data show that 83% of Pinterest users are female and 45% are aged 35-54 years. Consumers turn to Pinterest largely for fashion and beauty, DIY projects, home design, inspiration, education, humor, and product recommendations. In fact, Pinterest has become the No. 1 traffic driver to websites of women’s lifestyle magazines.
You can use Pinterest to drive traffic to your office website, where people can book appointments or buy products online. Although no formal data exist for physician referrals from Pinterest, the study showed that the social-to-sale purchasing power was 17% for hair and beauty products and women’s and men’s apparel.
How can Pinterest help you market your practice and encourage "pinners" to "reverse showroom" into your office? Let’s use the example of a cosmetic surgeon who is seeking to expand her patient base and promote her organic skincare product line.
Pinterest users are more likely to purchase items that are easy to find. So, if they’re looking for an organic sunscreen, and they click through the Pinterest image the doctor posted and land on her website where they can buy it, then they’ll be more apt to do so. Research shows that the likelihood of a purchase increases by an additional 34% when there are existing reviews and recommendations for the product, and 30% when there are product details provided.
Pins don’t have to be strictly medical; consider more purely social boards that relate to your specialty, such as the following examples:
Family practice doctors could use Pinterest for wellness promotion, with boards for spreading happiness, healthy recipes, and habits of healthy families. Oncologists could use Pinterest to share inspirational patient testimonials, best foods for chemotherapy patients, and support for caregivers. Ob.gyns could use Pinterest as an outreach tool for expectant and new moms with boards for breast-feeding tutorials, fashionable maternity clothing, and cool baby gear.
Pinterest has proven to deliver value to businesses. With the above recommendations, you can quickly and cost-effectively add this platform to your marketing and patient relationship efforts.
Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
My wife and I recently (and successfully) had our kitchen and bathrooms remodeled. It wouldn’t have been possible without Pinterest.
For the uninitiated, Pinterest is a wildly popular social media site that allows users to find, share, and organize images called "pins." Pinterest launched in September 2010, and today it has more than 70 million active users. It’s one of the fastest-growing social media sites in history, and it ranks as one of the Top 50 most-visited websites in the United States.
In a previous column about Pinterest, I mentioned several reasons why it’s important for your medical practice. More than 80% of Pinterest users are female, and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make 80% of health care decisions for their families. Therefore, Pinterest could be a persuasive marketing tool for physicians looking to expand their practices. Pinterest also can be an effective platform to share patient stories, to introduce your practice and staff to the public, and to show before and after images of medical procedures.
New research from Vision Critical, the world’s leading provider of Insight Communities, discovered a surprising new finding about Pinterest (published in the July-August 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review).
The researchers examined "showrooming," a phenomenon whereby shoppers visit actual stores to examine merchandise before purchasing it online. They say the threat is so intense to brick-and-mortar stores that at least one merchant has begun charging people to browse in his store! Their research, however, shows much less of a threat. Of the 3,000 social media users they surveyed, only 26% reported "regularly engaging in showrooming."
What they found more surprising was that 41% of respondents said that practice "reverse showrooming;" that is, they browse online first then purchase the product in a store. That’s exactly what my wife did when choosing and purchasing our new furniture, lighting fixtures, wallpaper, paint, and more.
This led me to contemplate how "reverse showrooming" might help a physician market his or her medical practice. First, understand that Pinterest relies on aspirational messaging. Marketers use images that tap into our desires, wants, and dreams. Pinterest typically represents our idealized selves – the fashion-forward woman, the perfect garden wedding, the sublime oceanfront hotel room. Pinterest is about the version of you that you want to become. The you with flawless skin, lustrous hair, and smooth thighs.
Pinterest can be a powerful marketing tool for dermatologists, particularly cosmetic dermatologists. Consider the Pinterest customer base: Data show that 83% of Pinterest users are female and 45% are aged 35-54 years. Consumers turn to Pinterest largely for fashion and beauty, DIY projects, home design, inspiration, education, humor, and product recommendations. In fact, Pinterest has become the No. 1 traffic driver to websites of women’s lifestyle magazines.
You can use Pinterest to drive traffic to your office website, where people can book appointments or buy products online. Although no formal data exist for physician referrals from Pinterest, the study showed that the social-to-sale purchasing power was 17% for hair and beauty products and women’s and men’s apparel.
How can Pinterest help you market your practice and encourage "pinners" to "reverse showroom" into your office? Let’s use the example of a cosmetic surgeon who is seeking to expand her patient base and promote her organic skincare product line.
Pinterest users are more likely to purchase items that are easy to find. So, if they’re looking for an organic sunscreen, and they click through the Pinterest image the doctor posted and land on her website where they can buy it, then they’ll be more apt to do so. Research shows that the likelihood of a purchase increases by an additional 34% when there are existing reviews and recommendations for the product, and 30% when there are product details provided.
Pins don’t have to be strictly medical; consider more purely social boards that relate to your specialty, such as the following examples:
Family practice doctors could use Pinterest for wellness promotion, with boards for spreading happiness, healthy recipes, and habits of healthy families. Oncologists could use Pinterest to share inspirational patient testimonials, best foods for chemotherapy patients, and support for caregivers. Ob.gyns could use Pinterest as an outreach tool for expectant and new moms with boards for breast-feeding tutorials, fashionable maternity clothing, and cool baby gear.
Pinterest has proven to deliver value to businesses. With the above recommendations, you can quickly and cost-effectively add this platform to your marketing and patient relationship efforts.
Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
Online reviews
The last time I gave the talk, "Help! I’ve Been Yelped!" to physicians, there was a full house, a sometimes defiant, sometimes incredulous but always engaged full house. Most physicians don’t like Yelp and other online doctor rating sites because of the potential for negative reviews.
In past columns, I’ve written about these sites and how to respond to negative reviews and comments. Now, I’m going to share data on the use of online reviews and why they are important.
We live in a digital world that values reviews. We compare hotels on TripAdvisor.com before booking them and read reviews on Amazon.com before ordering products. We "like" or "dislike" Facebook pages and give thumbs up or thumbs down to videos on YouTube. We even rate physicians’ comments on medical question-and-answer sites such as HealthTap.com.
But how much do all of these online ratings really matter? A 2012 Nielsen report that surveyed more than 28,000 Internet users in 56 countries found that online consumer reviews are the second-most-trusted source of brand information, following only recommendations from family and friends. In other words, we trust online reviews and use them to make our own decisions.
The same is true when it comes to shopping for a doctor. According to an Internet-based survey of 2,137 adults published in the February issue of JAMA, 59% of respondents said that online doctor ratings were either "somewhat important" or "very important" when choosing a physician (2014;11:734-5).
Similarly, the "2013 Industry View Report" by Software Advice found that 62% of respondents said they read online reviews when seeking a new doctor. Although HealthGrades.com was the most commonly used site, Yelp.com was the most trusted. Forty-four percent of those respondents considered Yelp the most trustworthy review site followed by Health Grades (31%), Vitals.com (17%), and ZocDoc.com (7%).
Whether or not we trust Yelp and other online review sites, our patients do. In the JAMA survey, 35% of respondents said that they selected a physician based on good ratings, while 37% said that they avoided a physician with negative reviews. The 2013 Industry View Report also found that 45% of respondents ranked "quality of care" as the most important type of information sought about a doctor. And since many patients equate service with quality, reviews that focus on service matter.
This isn’t an entirely bad thing. If we really listen to what patients are saying, their comments can help us to improve service and communication. And, in some instances, it can lead to stronger doctor-patient relationships. Like many other industries, health care is moving toward transparency, and doctor rating sites are a key component of that.
Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. He has published numerous scientific articles and is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a member of the Telemedicine Association and the American Medical Association, among others. He is board certified in dermatology as well as medicine and surgery in the state of California. Dr. Benabio has a special interest in the uses of social media for education and building dermatology practice. He is the founder of The Derm Blog, an educational website that has had more than 2 million unique visitors. Dr. Benabio is also a founding member and the skin care expert for Livestrong.com, a health and wellness website of Lance Armstrong’s the Livestrong Foundation. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
The last time I gave the talk, "Help! I’ve Been Yelped!" to physicians, there was a full house, a sometimes defiant, sometimes incredulous but always engaged full house. Most physicians don’t like Yelp and other online doctor rating sites because of the potential for negative reviews.
In past columns, I’ve written about these sites and how to respond to negative reviews and comments. Now, I’m going to share data on the use of online reviews and why they are important.
We live in a digital world that values reviews. We compare hotels on TripAdvisor.com before booking them and read reviews on Amazon.com before ordering products. We "like" or "dislike" Facebook pages and give thumbs up or thumbs down to videos on YouTube. We even rate physicians’ comments on medical question-and-answer sites such as HealthTap.com.
But how much do all of these online ratings really matter? A 2012 Nielsen report that surveyed more than 28,000 Internet users in 56 countries found that online consumer reviews are the second-most-trusted source of brand information, following only recommendations from family and friends. In other words, we trust online reviews and use them to make our own decisions.
The same is true when it comes to shopping for a doctor. According to an Internet-based survey of 2,137 adults published in the February issue of JAMA, 59% of respondents said that online doctor ratings were either "somewhat important" or "very important" when choosing a physician (2014;11:734-5).
Similarly, the "2013 Industry View Report" by Software Advice found that 62% of respondents said they read online reviews when seeking a new doctor. Although HealthGrades.com was the most commonly used site, Yelp.com was the most trusted. Forty-four percent of those respondents considered Yelp the most trustworthy review site followed by Health Grades (31%), Vitals.com (17%), and ZocDoc.com (7%).
Whether or not we trust Yelp and other online review sites, our patients do. In the JAMA survey, 35% of respondents said that they selected a physician based on good ratings, while 37% said that they avoided a physician with negative reviews. The 2013 Industry View Report also found that 45% of respondents ranked "quality of care" as the most important type of information sought about a doctor. And since many patients equate service with quality, reviews that focus on service matter.
This isn’t an entirely bad thing. If we really listen to what patients are saying, their comments can help us to improve service and communication. And, in some instances, it can lead to stronger doctor-patient relationships. Like many other industries, health care is moving toward transparency, and doctor rating sites are a key component of that.
Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. He has published numerous scientific articles and is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a member of the Telemedicine Association and the American Medical Association, among others. He is board certified in dermatology as well as medicine and surgery in the state of California. Dr. Benabio has a special interest in the uses of social media for education and building dermatology practice. He is the founder of The Derm Blog, an educational website that has had more than 2 million unique visitors. Dr. Benabio is also a founding member and the skin care expert for Livestrong.com, a health and wellness website of Lance Armstrong’s the Livestrong Foundation. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
The last time I gave the talk, "Help! I’ve Been Yelped!" to physicians, there was a full house, a sometimes defiant, sometimes incredulous but always engaged full house. Most physicians don’t like Yelp and other online doctor rating sites because of the potential for negative reviews.
In past columns, I’ve written about these sites and how to respond to negative reviews and comments. Now, I’m going to share data on the use of online reviews and why they are important.
We live in a digital world that values reviews. We compare hotels on TripAdvisor.com before booking them and read reviews on Amazon.com before ordering products. We "like" or "dislike" Facebook pages and give thumbs up or thumbs down to videos on YouTube. We even rate physicians’ comments on medical question-and-answer sites such as HealthTap.com.
But how much do all of these online ratings really matter? A 2012 Nielsen report that surveyed more than 28,000 Internet users in 56 countries found that online consumer reviews are the second-most-trusted source of brand information, following only recommendations from family and friends. In other words, we trust online reviews and use them to make our own decisions.
The same is true when it comes to shopping for a doctor. According to an Internet-based survey of 2,137 adults published in the February issue of JAMA, 59% of respondents said that online doctor ratings were either "somewhat important" or "very important" when choosing a physician (2014;11:734-5).
Similarly, the "2013 Industry View Report" by Software Advice found that 62% of respondents said they read online reviews when seeking a new doctor. Although HealthGrades.com was the most commonly used site, Yelp.com was the most trusted. Forty-four percent of those respondents considered Yelp the most trustworthy review site followed by Health Grades (31%), Vitals.com (17%), and ZocDoc.com (7%).
Whether or not we trust Yelp and other online review sites, our patients do. In the JAMA survey, 35% of respondents said that they selected a physician based on good ratings, while 37% said that they avoided a physician with negative reviews. The 2013 Industry View Report also found that 45% of respondents ranked "quality of care" as the most important type of information sought about a doctor. And since many patients equate service with quality, reviews that focus on service matter.
This isn’t an entirely bad thing. If we really listen to what patients are saying, their comments can help us to improve service and communication. And, in some instances, it can lead to stronger doctor-patient relationships. Like many other industries, health care is moving toward transparency, and doctor rating sites are a key component of that.
Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. He has published numerous scientific articles and is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a member of the Telemedicine Association and the American Medical Association, among others. He is board certified in dermatology as well as medicine and surgery in the state of California. Dr. Benabio has a special interest in the uses of social media for education and building dermatology practice. He is the founder of The Derm Blog, an educational website that has had more than 2 million unique visitors. Dr. Benabio is also a founding member and the skin care expert for Livestrong.com, a health and wellness website of Lance Armstrong’s the Livestrong Foundation. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.
Digital Dermatology: VisualDx
"You should always consider three differential diagnoses for each patient." This was sound advice from my dermatology residency director, but advice I often neglect to take. What about you?
If you are like most of us, then your brain in clinic is on autopilot. It instantly selects the diagnosis and moves on. But when pushed by a confusing rash or a disease unresponsive to our standard treatment, we quickly encounter the limits of the human brain.
When stumped, we all do the same thing: Recruit more eyeballs (and brains). We find a colleague nearby and pull him into the room. "So, what do you think this is? What would you do?" Although often helpful, this method is inefficient and fails to capitalize on the most important of all medical tools: the computer.
Unlike our brains, computers in the form of clinical decision support (CDS) tools, are not prone to cognitive errors. Good CDS tools aren’t subject to top-of-mind biases. Their ability to generate differential diagnoses exceeds even the masters among us. Fortunately, there is such a CDS for skin disease: VisualDx.
VisualDx is a CDS tool focused on dermatologic conditions. It covers common and rare skin conditions and has more than 25,000 professional images.
What’s unique here is that VisualDx is more than a database of images. "It is truly a diagnostic decision support tool that allows you to search by multiple factors at once – symptoms, diagnoses, medications, medical history, travel, skin color, etc.," said Dr. Noah Craft, practicing dermatologist and chief medical officer of VisualDx.
In contrast to textbooks and other medical knowledge databases, this system is designed for easy, point-of-care use – it makes a dermatologist’s or even a primary care physician’s work easier. By quickly reviewing photos and diagnostic pearls, our brains are supercharged with deep differentials and management ideas.
For example, I recently had a patient who presented with papulosquamous eruptions that involved his body and hands. Among other diagnoses was secondary syphilis. Yes, I had thought of that, but a quick scan through VisualDx prompted me to ask about other symptoms, including vision changes (which he had). The patient also had HIV. Quick, which test is the best for me to order? Too slow, it’s already there in front of me on my screen.
In addition to improving quality, tools such as these also can improve access. Studies from the company show that the average user saves between 15 and 26 minutes per day using their product. For the working dermatologist, that means being able to see two additional patients a day.
VisualDx also educates and empowers patients. Don’t believe those bumps you have are molluscum? You can see here that these photos look exactly like the bumps you have. Rather than explain conditions through difficult doctor-speak, physicians can show complex knowledge to patients visually. As Dr. Craft notes and many of us have experienced: "For many patients, seeing is believing."
Whether it’s corroborating a diagnosis or exploring treatment options, having the doctor and patient share the same screen is an effective way to increase comprehension and build trust. No matter how good our drawings on the back of a prescription pad may be, they are not as accurate or helpful as curated digital photos. Our screen-savvy patients will soon expect this type of technology with every visit.
Good digital medicine tools also will help remedy one of medicine’s oldest and most glaring defects: We don’t account for the fact that the vast majority of health care happens in between doctor visits. Now patient education doesn’t stop at the culmination of the visit. Physicians can either print or e-mail images and information to patients so that they can have an accurate record at home to share with family members and caregivers.
VisualDx is a leading technology in what will be the future of medicine: Digital tools that serve doctors with everything they need to diagnose and treat patients with a click or flick of the screen. Having ten thousand treatment options instantly in your pocket – try that with any lab coat reference book.
Oftentimes, technology is more sparkle than substance. Not so with VisualDx. Have you used it in your practice? Let us know what you think about it.
For more information and to learn how to subscribe, visit www.visualdx.com. VisualDx is a paid subscription service.
Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Dr. Benabio said he has no financial interest in VisualDx, but he has had complimentary access. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.
"You should always consider three differential diagnoses for each patient." This was sound advice from my dermatology residency director, but advice I often neglect to take. What about you?
If you are like most of us, then your brain in clinic is on autopilot. It instantly selects the diagnosis and moves on. But when pushed by a confusing rash or a disease unresponsive to our standard treatment, we quickly encounter the limits of the human brain.
When stumped, we all do the same thing: Recruit more eyeballs (and brains). We find a colleague nearby and pull him into the room. "So, what do you think this is? What would you do?" Although often helpful, this method is inefficient and fails to capitalize on the most important of all medical tools: the computer.
Unlike our brains, computers in the form of clinical decision support (CDS) tools, are not prone to cognitive errors. Good CDS tools aren’t subject to top-of-mind biases. Their ability to generate differential diagnoses exceeds even the masters among us. Fortunately, there is such a CDS for skin disease: VisualDx.
VisualDx is a CDS tool focused on dermatologic conditions. It covers common and rare skin conditions and has more than 25,000 professional images.
What’s unique here is that VisualDx is more than a database of images. "It is truly a diagnostic decision support tool that allows you to search by multiple factors at once – symptoms, diagnoses, medications, medical history, travel, skin color, etc.," said Dr. Noah Craft, practicing dermatologist and chief medical officer of VisualDx.
In contrast to textbooks and other medical knowledge databases, this system is designed for easy, point-of-care use – it makes a dermatologist’s or even a primary care physician’s work easier. By quickly reviewing photos and diagnostic pearls, our brains are supercharged with deep differentials and management ideas.
For example, I recently had a patient who presented with papulosquamous eruptions that involved his body and hands. Among other diagnoses was secondary syphilis. Yes, I had thought of that, but a quick scan through VisualDx prompted me to ask about other symptoms, including vision changes (which he had). The patient also had HIV. Quick, which test is the best for me to order? Too slow, it’s already there in front of me on my screen.
In addition to improving quality, tools such as these also can improve access. Studies from the company show that the average user saves between 15 and 26 minutes per day using their product. For the working dermatologist, that means being able to see two additional patients a day.
VisualDx also educates and empowers patients. Don’t believe those bumps you have are molluscum? You can see here that these photos look exactly like the bumps you have. Rather than explain conditions through difficult doctor-speak, physicians can show complex knowledge to patients visually. As Dr. Craft notes and many of us have experienced: "For many patients, seeing is believing."
Whether it’s corroborating a diagnosis or exploring treatment options, having the doctor and patient share the same screen is an effective way to increase comprehension and build trust. No matter how good our drawings on the back of a prescription pad may be, they are not as accurate or helpful as curated digital photos. Our screen-savvy patients will soon expect this type of technology with every visit.
Good digital medicine tools also will help remedy one of medicine’s oldest and most glaring defects: We don’t account for the fact that the vast majority of health care happens in between doctor visits. Now patient education doesn’t stop at the culmination of the visit. Physicians can either print or e-mail images and information to patients so that they can have an accurate record at home to share with family members and caregivers.
VisualDx is a leading technology in what will be the future of medicine: Digital tools that serve doctors with everything they need to diagnose and treat patients with a click or flick of the screen. Having ten thousand treatment options instantly in your pocket – try that with any lab coat reference book.
Oftentimes, technology is more sparkle than substance. Not so with VisualDx. Have you used it in your practice? Let us know what you think about it.
For more information and to learn how to subscribe, visit www.visualdx.com. VisualDx is a paid subscription service.
Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Dr. Benabio said he has no financial interest in VisualDx, but he has had complimentary access. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.
"You should always consider three differential diagnoses for each patient." This was sound advice from my dermatology residency director, but advice I often neglect to take. What about you?
If you are like most of us, then your brain in clinic is on autopilot. It instantly selects the diagnosis and moves on. But when pushed by a confusing rash or a disease unresponsive to our standard treatment, we quickly encounter the limits of the human brain.
When stumped, we all do the same thing: Recruit more eyeballs (and brains). We find a colleague nearby and pull him into the room. "So, what do you think this is? What would you do?" Although often helpful, this method is inefficient and fails to capitalize on the most important of all medical tools: the computer.
Unlike our brains, computers in the form of clinical decision support (CDS) tools, are not prone to cognitive errors. Good CDS tools aren’t subject to top-of-mind biases. Their ability to generate differential diagnoses exceeds even the masters among us. Fortunately, there is such a CDS for skin disease: VisualDx.
VisualDx is a CDS tool focused on dermatologic conditions. It covers common and rare skin conditions and has more than 25,000 professional images.
What’s unique here is that VisualDx is more than a database of images. "It is truly a diagnostic decision support tool that allows you to search by multiple factors at once – symptoms, diagnoses, medications, medical history, travel, skin color, etc.," said Dr. Noah Craft, practicing dermatologist and chief medical officer of VisualDx.
In contrast to textbooks and other medical knowledge databases, this system is designed for easy, point-of-care use – it makes a dermatologist’s or even a primary care physician’s work easier. By quickly reviewing photos and diagnostic pearls, our brains are supercharged with deep differentials and management ideas.
For example, I recently had a patient who presented with papulosquamous eruptions that involved his body and hands. Among other diagnoses was secondary syphilis. Yes, I had thought of that, but a quick scan through VisualDx prompted me to ask about other symptoms, including vision changes (which he had). The patient also had HIV. Quick, which test is the best for me to order? Too slow, it’s already there in front of me on my screen.
In addition to improving quality, tools such as these also can improve access. Studies from the company show that the average user saves between 15 and 26 minutes per day using their product. For the working dermatologist, that means being able to see two additional patients a day.
VisualDx also educates and empowers patients. Don’t believe those bumps you have are molluscum? You can see here that these photos look exactly like the bumps you have. Rather than explain conditions through difficult doctor-speak, physicians can show complex knowledge to patients visually. As Dr. Craft notes and many of us have experienced: "For many patients, seeing is believing."
Whether it’s corroborating a diagnosis or exploring treatment options, having the doctor and patient share the same screen is an effective way to increase comprehension and build trust. No matter how good our drawings on the back of a prescription pad may be, they are not as accurate or helpful as curated digital photos. Our screen-savvy patients will soon expect this type of technology with every visit.
Good digital medicine tools also will help remedy one of medicine’s oldest and most glaring defects: We don’t account for the fact that the vast majority of health care happens in between doctor visits. Now patient education doesn’t stop at the culmination of the visit. Physicians can either print or e-mail images and information to patients so that they can have an accurate record at home to share with family members and caregivers.
VisualDx is a leading technology in what will be the future of medicine: Digital tools that serve doctors with everything they need to diagnose and treat patients with a click or flick of the screen. Having ten thousand treatment options instantly in your pocket – try that with any lab coat reference book.
Oftentimes, technology is more sparkle than substance. Not so with VisualDx. Have you used it in your practice? Let us know what you think about it.
For more information and to learn how to subscribe, visit www.visualdx.com. VisualDx is a paid subscription service.
Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Dr. Benabio said he has no financial interest in VisualDx, but he has had complimentary access. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.
