In the rapidly changing world, the advent of social media has empowered consumers including the patient fraternity. This has fundamentally changed the patient-doctor relationship. With access to the Internet, a large scale wealth of medical information is within easy reach of the public. An average patient today is more informed, often even before he meets the doctor. Post-consultation or treatment feedback on a social media website can build or tarnish the image of a doctor. The doctor-patient relationship which was sacrosanct is now under the scanner and patients have a growing option to post their reviews, feedback and opinions on various social media, consumer and patient review sites.
Online reputation management
Reputations and more are established and demonised in the matter of a few minutes. It is a world full of sneezers and one good or bad word is sneezed rather vividly. No amount of PR or advertising budget can salvage a bad reputation. Like it or not, accept it or not, it is a cynical world we are living in. Or better still, we have become cynical.
A couple of years ago, there was an awe and shock reaction when a super-speciality hospital in India, was inaugurated amidst much fanfare. Film stars and politicians were getting their health check-ups here, there were stories about how doctors were hand-picked from the West at mind-boggling salaries that would put CEOs of companies to shame, so on and so forth. There was the aura, the marketing drive, the zeal of the proponents. And then the bubble was pricked. There were whispers of inflated costs, a surgery gone kaput, over-worked doctors rushing into the operation theatre, sub optimal nursing care, callous administrative officials. “These people are nothing but greedy mammons,” scoffed a friend. His mother, he says had walked into the hospital for a minor procedure but was now in the throes of a multiple organ failure. However, the hospital was quick to control the negative feedback. Its online presence was strong and hence balanced the negative talk with positive buzz.
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Dr Asif Gani
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Let me quote a routine example. One is frantically looking at a major surgery for a relative. One looks around for opinions, second opinions and third opinions from doctors, relatives and friends. Finally, one stops at a particular surgeon and a particular hospital. And the surgery goes off well. There are raves. Not by the hospital machinery but by the relative and the patient himself, on the Internet. The actual experience is recounted. Thousands of people read the review and are influenced by it. This is known as the sneezing effect. Like it or dislike it, doctors and hospitals are up for reviewing and rating.
Pre-surgery opinions are extremely important. We all need second opinions from doctors, relatives and friends. Here relatives and friends play an important role. The Internet has expanded the scope with its vast number of users and has provided this opportunity in ample proportions.
Today, the trend is to verify each and everything beforehand. Information about every person, product, place, or service is just an Internet search away. People, at large, prefer to know how well something is doing or rather acquire more information about a person or thing prior to indulging in or with it. Type in what you would like to know and hit the search button – pop comes all the information and reviews. Everyone and everything is being reviewed.
Importance of social media
Today, social media is an important medium that thrives on social inequity, creates a revolution amongst people, allows the consumer to make brands listen to him, rediscover long lost pals etc. In short, the dotcom which busted a decade ago has returned with a vengeance in a more humane form. Today, the Internet has diversified itself. Yesterday, the dotcom defined it – today, when we say dotcom we usually refer to e-commerce sites – Consumer Review and Social Media platforms have acquired a definition of its own. According to a study published in the academic journal Memory and Cognition it has found that users are more likely to remember a Facebook status update than lines read from a physical book.
Custodians of brands are concerned about what is being said online and offline about their brand. The online focus of customer management has increased manifold. Brands are watching and reading what is written about them on various consumer review and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and MouthShut.
The brand/consumer relationship has shifted from a one-way delivery channel to more of a conversation. These days, consumer blogs and posts are actually getting responses. The name of the game is now engaging with a customer base. Brands no longer rely completely on customer care departments and their own websites. They know that to tackle one bad review, one bad comment on their product they have to search the entire web. Agencies are now being appointed to see what’s written about brands online and resolutions are sought.
According to a survey conducted by Zarca Interactive, a US-based market-research company:
- 66 per cent people who are online, read online reviews before deciding on a doctor
- 76 per cent feel reviews impact their decisions
- 84 per cent trust actual user review more than domain expert reviews
One of the most searched and reviewed categories on the Internet is medical service providers and doctors. It is only wise to be aware of the fact that you are being watched by people who might want to consult or get operated by you or at your hospital and reviewed by people who are availing your services. Gone are the days when people literally walked up to friends and colleagues for feedback or called others up on the phone. Any information pertaining to you and the hospital where you practice is freely available at just a click. In short, the experience of few people serves as an extended relatives opinion for all others.
Dos
My dear colleagues, it would be great if you become more internet-savvy and pay attention to details like these. You are under the telescope – you are written about and read about. Basically, you are being talked about. In other words, please connect and flourish. People are talking about you – sniggering at times, cheering at times. Don’t let wrong or unpleasant reviews about you mislead probable patients and ruin your potential patient base. Be prolific in countering negative remarks. Apologise wherever necessary. Convert negative feedback into positive buzz.
An increasing number of people are using social media websites to seek medical advice and find a healthcare professional. By joining various patient review and social media websites – and staying active online – you will reach potential patients and let them communicate with you directly. Strong social media marketing helps you:
- Brand your practice and hospital
- Post updates, news, and information instantly
- Communicate with your patients in real time
- Form a strong patient support group
- Respond to comments – and address negative comments before they become an issue
Connect and flourish
Make sure your high quality medical services are becoming the talk of the town and an increasing number of people are stepping into your clinic and hospitals. Great reviews and ratings about you as a doctor can have a major impact. It can spiral your practice upwards and generate leads.
Have your visibility online, but only a positive one. Get web friendly with good reviews. Great reputation is what matters most for medical practitioners. With new technology emerges a new challenge. As surgeons and physicians we need to adapt ourselves.
We cannot be living forever in the ancient age. Gone are the days when domestic and overseas patients would see the website of particular hospitals and come down for treatment. Today, they check online reviews about the hospital and doctor. Just as we embrace new technology, we need to adapt to new social media challenges and convert half-possibilities into full-blown opportunities.
Through this article
I would encourage you to ‘Connect and Flourish’, best leverage positive consumer reviews thereby generating potential leads, outflanking competition, improving brand perception and accelerating growth.
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