Why social media are here to stay

A new year holds so much potential. It’s often when we’re at our most ambitious and optimistic. A time when we’re more likely to try something new – learn a language, take up CrossFit, or, even, dive into the social media ocean.

In this column over the last year, I have written about many different social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Many physicians have e-mailed me asking, "Do I really need to be doing social media? Is it more than just a fad?" My answer was and still is, Yes!

The medical landscape is continually evolving, and social media continue to disrupt the traditional roles of doctor and patient. We now have "e-patients," "digital doctors," and doctor-rating sites; hospitals have Facebook pages, and surgeons are tweeting live surgery. Never has the field of medicine been so transparent.

Although I don’t have a crystal ball, I can assure you that social media are here to stay for a long time. So, if you’ve only dipped your toe in the social media waters so far, keep reading; you might find some inspiration to take the plunge in 2014:

• 90% of adults aged 18-24 said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks. Social media communications are simply word of mouth enhanced by technology. Instead of telling their immediate family about you at the dinner table, your patients now have the ability to tell hundreds or thousands of people about you on social media. Create compelling content, make it shareable, and you’ll help build positive word of mouth.

• Social media users are more likely to trust health-related content written by physicians than by any other group. There is a tremendous amount of health care information online, much of it inaccurate. That means content produced by you (for example, through Facebook updates, YouTube videos, and blog posts) is likely to be shared more frequently and to help build your brand as a trusted physician.

• 47% of patients share their medical information online with doctors, and 43% do so with hospitals.

• 77% of patients used search engines prior to booking their medical appointment. If you’re not online, patients won’t find you.

• 41% of patients said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. Online word of mouth has an impact on you and your practice.

• 58% of health care marketers use blogs vs. 74% of all marketers. Maintaining a blog helps you build brand loyalty and gives you a competitive edge against physicians who aren’t online.

• YouTube traffic to hospital websites has increased 119% year to year. Because they’re visual, videos tend to be more memorable for social media users. Whether videos are used to share poignant patient stories, educate patients about specific diseases and treatments, or show how a clinical procedure is performed, they allow you to connect more intimately with patients and prospective patients, and put a human face on your practice.

• Parents are more likely to seek medical information online. Data show that 22% of parents use Facebook vs. 14% of nonparents, and 20% of parents use YouTube vs. 12% of nonparents. Parents want online information they can trust; that means information created by you.

• 51% of patients said they would feel more valued if their health care provider communicated with them digitally. This means exploring other modes of communication such as e-mail, newsletters, blog posts, and Facebook updates.

• 60% of physicians surveyed said social media improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. From physician online communities to Google hangouts, physicians are learning from one another, and often from patients, making them better clinicians.

Sources include DC Interactive Group, Demi and Cooper Advertising, Media Bistro, PWC Health Research Institute, and TeleVox.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

A new year holds so much potential. It’s often when we’re at our most ambitious and optimistic. A time when we’re more likely to try something new – learn a language, take up CrossFit, or, even, dive into the social media ocean.

In this column over the last year, I have written about many different social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Many physicians have e-mailed me asking, "Do I really need to be doing social media? Is it more than just a fad?" My answer was and still is, Yes!

The medical landscape is continually evolving, and social media continue to disrupt the traditional roles of doctor and patient. We now have "e-patients," "digital doctors," and doctor-rating sites; hospitals have Facebook pages, and surgeons are tweeting live surgery. Never has the field of medicine been so transparent.

Although I don’t have a crystal ball, I can assure you that social media are here to stay for a long time. So, if you’ve only dipped your toe in the social media waters so far, keep reading; you might find some inspiration to take the plunge in 2014:

• 90% of adults aged 18-24 said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks. Social media communications are simply word of mouth enhanced by technology. Instead of telling their immediate family about you at the dinner table, your patients now have the ability to tell hundreds or thousands of people about you on social media. Create compelling content, make it shareable, and you’ll help build positive word of mouth.

• Social media users are more likely to trust health-related content written by physicians than by any other group. There is a tremendous amount of health care information online, much of it inaccurate. That means content produced by you (for example, through Facebook updates, YouTube videos, and blog posts) is likely to be shared more frequently and to help build your brand as a trusted physician.

• 47% of patients share their medical information online with doctors, and 43% do so with hospitals.

• 77% of patients used search engines prior to booking their medical appointment. If you’re not online, patients won’t find you.

• 41% of patients said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. Online word of mouth has an impact on you and your practice.

• 58% of health care marketers use blogs vs. 74% of all marketers. Maintaining a blog helps you build brand loyalty and gives you a competitive edge against physicians who aren’t online.

• YouTube traffic to hospital websites has increased 119% year to year. Because they’re visual, videos tend to be more memorable for social media users. Whether videos are used to share poignant patient stories, educate patients about specific diseases and treatments, or show how a clinical procedure is performed, they allow you to connect more intimately with patients and prospective patients, and put a human face on your practice.

• Parents are more likely to seek medical information online. Data show that 22% of parents use Facebook vs. 14% of nonparents, and 20% of parents use YouTube vs. 12% of nonparents. Parents want online information they can trust; that means information created by you.

• 51% of patients said they would feel more valued if their health care provider communicated with them digitally. This means exploring other modes of communication such as e-mail, newsletters, blog posts, and Facebook updates.

• 60% of physicians surveyed said social media improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. From physician online communities to Google hangouts, physicians are learning from one another, and often from patients, making them better clinicians.

Sources include DC Interactive Group, Demi and Cooper Advertising, Media Bistro, PWC Health Research Institute, and TeleVox.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

A new year holds so much potential. It’s often when we’re at our most ambitious and optimistic. A time when we’re more likely to try something new – learn a language, take up CrossFit, or, even, dive into the social media ocean.

In this column over the last year, I have written about many different social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Many physicians have e-mailed me asking, "Do I really need to be doing social media? Is it more than just a fad?" My answer was and still is, Yes!

The medical landscape is continually evolving, and social media continue to disrupt the traditional roles of doctor and patient. We now have "e-patients," "digital doctors," and doctor-rating sites; hospitals have Facebook pages, and surgeons are tweeting live surgery. Never has the field of medicine been so transparent.

Although I don’t have a crystal ball, I can assure you that social media are here to stay for a long time. So, if you’ve only dipped your toe in the social media waters so far, keep reading; you might find some inspiration to take the plunge in 2014:

• 90% of adults aged 18-24 said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks. Social media communications are simply word of mouth enhanced by technology. Instead of telling their immediate family about you at the dinner table, your patients now have the ability to tell hundreds or thousands of people about you on social media. Create compelling content, make it shareable, and you’ll help build positive word of mouth.

• Social media users are more likely to trust health-related content written by physicians than by any other group. There is a tremendous amount of health care information online, much of it inaccurate. That means content produced by you (for example, through Facebook updates, YouTube videos, and blog posts) is likely to be shared more frequently and to help build your brand as a trusted physician.

• 47% of patients share their medical information online with doctors, and 43% do so with hospitals.

• 77% of patients used search engines prior to booking their medical appointment. If you’re not online, patients won’t find you.

• 41% of patients said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. Online word of mouth has an impact on you and your practice.

• 58% of health care marketers use blogs vs. 74% of all marketers. Maintaining a blog helps you build brand loyalty and gives you a competitive edge against physicians who aren’t online.

• YouTube traffic to hospital websites has increased 119% year to year. Because they’re visual, videos tend to be more memorable for social media users. Whether videos are used to share poignant patient stories, educate patients about specific diseases and treatments, or show how a clinical procedure is performed, they allow you to connect more intimately with patients and prospective patients, and put a human face on your practice.

• Parents are more likely to seek medical information online. Data show that 22% of parents use Facebook vs. 14% of nonparents, and 20% of parents use YouTube vs. 12% of nonparents. Parents want online information they can trust; that means information created by you.

• 51% of patients said they would feel more valued if their health care provider communicated with them digitally. This means exploring other modes of communication such as e-mail, newsletters, blog posts, and Facebook updates.

• 60% of physicians surveyed said social media improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. From physician online communities to Google hangouts, physicians are learning from one another, and often from patients, making them better clinicians.

Sources include DC Interactive Group, Demi and Cooper Advertising, Media Bistro, PWC Health Research Institute, and TeleVox.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.