This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Ophthalmologists need to present positive, professional public persona via social networks
A speaker at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting explains how to protect the online image of the physician and practice.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The Internet has become a dependable resource to help ophthalmologists establish their public persona through social networks and professional networks, according to one practitioner. The caveat is that ophthalmologists also need to protect their public image.
K. David Epley
“Whether you realize it or not, everyone has a public persona,” K. David Epley, MD, told colleagues at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting in Palm Springs, Calif. “If you are on any of the social media sites, then you have a public persona. It is who you are as the patient and parents see you based on the information they can find about you online. The important thing is to be able to cultivate that persona so people see the information that you want them to see about you, not information that you do not want them to see about you.”
Traditionally, social networks, professional networks, round tables and meetings were places to gather small groups of people and gain exposure. Now, the Internet amplifies the power of that networking, according to Epley.
He said the key to running a fully functional and successful practice is to capture, engage and retain patients.
Capture
Epley recommended that practitioners build a strong online presence to capture new patients by proactively monitoring their online persona, starting with their practice’s website.
“Search yourself on Google. Find out where your website comes up,” Epley said. “If it’s not pretty high in the search, then that is the No. 1 thing to fix.”
Google AdWords and Bing Ads are effective tools to invest in to help patients find a practice, Epley said.
“The phone book is gone. It’s just gone. There’s no point to advertising in the Yellow Pages anymore,” Epley said, adding that Google AdWords are “the new phone book.”
Practitioners should invest in advertising each month to ensure that their website address and phone number are easily seen and accessible.
“You want your name to come up at the top of the list, because if you’re on page 2, nobody’s going to see you,” he said.
In regard to websites that rate physicians, such as Healthgrades and Vitals, Epley recommended practitioners find their pages and “claim” the profile to ensure up-to-date and correct information is presented. These websites turn up as the top two hits in an Internet search because they are sponsored ads. Because patients see the ratings as neutral, they trust the information, whether or not it is correct, Epley said.
“It is imperative that you populate that information,” he said. Practitioners should manage all their information that turns up on a Google search, particularly for any site that appears on the first page of search results.
Engage
Practitioners should engage in all social media outlets — Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn — but they should also be careful with their personal use of social media because information gets out and patients will find it, according to Epley.
Forum tools such as HealthTap give physicians further exposure. In such a forum, only physicians are able to respond to patient queries, and the more questions a physician answers, the more exposure he gains.
Manage reviews
Patients can look up physicians through review sites, and physicians ideally will have positive reviews and a high rating. But, negative reviews are always a possibility.
Once a negative review is posted, it cannot be retracted. However, Epley said there is no need to fear bad reviews.
When it comes to managing bad reviews, Epley said:
- Apologize to the patient directly. Patients are sometimes willing to edit or retract their review.
- Learn from the review and fix the glitch in the system to make the practice better.
- Offer free exams or a discount from the optical shop to make the person happy.
- Follow the mantra “the customer is always right.” Patients are customers, and doctors want to make it right for them.
- Be proactive and create a reputation to retain patients and capture new patients.
- Do not engage in social conversation. Do not argue. It only makes you look bad.
- Do not ask friends and family to make positive reviews. People will only discount those.
- Do not ask the reviewer to take down or retract the review.
Patients use online reviews as references and click through reviews to find the practice with the highest rating, so practitioners should be aware of their rating.
“Make sure you have enough ‘stars’ because you will be protecting yourself and retaining patients,” Epley said.
Beyond the Internet
Outside of social media, practitioners can build their practice and retain patients by sending letters after patient visits.
“Your referral sources feel like you are communicating with them. Not only are you getting your name in front of them multiple times a day, but they will remember your name when there is a patient that needs to be referred,” Epley said. “They know you are a good communicator, so they will send patients to your practice.” – by Nhu Te