Following a recent blog regarding websites for the private surgeon, I was asked my view of social media eg Twitter or Facebook. Whilst I’m solid in my view a private surgeon should have a website, social media may not be the right place for a private surgeon to be unless EXTREME care is exercised.
Any social media utilised by a private surgeon which also allows a patient to post comments thereon might well be a recipe for disaster.
Consider the untold damage if the patient posted on-line the care by the Surgeon was first class but the standard in the hospital was awful.
Guilt by association. Even worse if the patient posts online that the care administered by the surgeon was poor!
One consultant recently expressed the view that the only difference in 2015 to when he started many, many years ago is that now patients no longer merely gripe to friends and family. They can also go online.
An excellent point indeed.
His view is to always perform the best job he can. Just as he should do. That will stop patient complaints. But sooner or later somebody will complain.
MHM is often asked the question which clients have the healthiest private practice. For sure, those that have a website tend to fall into this category. Interestingly though, not one of those clients engages in social media.
So the conclusion may well be not only could social media be a dangerous place to be but, thus far, it has not proved to generate additional patients either.
If you enjoyed this read. Click HERE – “Sexist but true”
Email your comments to: pete@medicalhealthcaremanagement.co.uk
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Every time I give a presentation to consultants wishing to start a private practice it’s pretty much guaranteed, I’ll get asked about having a website. In particular, I’ll be asked – do I need one?
Short answer: YES!!
Ah! – Comes the response from a fellow presenter with a very well established practice – I don’t have one. I don’t need one. That may be so because he is well established. But for someone just starting out being on the private hospital’s website, just being on the PMI website or on a directory of consultants is not enough. Neither is, although still a big source of referrals, having patients referred only by a GP.
Patients are much, much more switched on these days. They will trawl the Internet looking for whom they consider being a suitable surgeon with whom to book a consultation. They may still ask their GP for an opinion. And then be concerned if the GP recommends another surgeon because the surgeon is a friend of the GP. What does the GP do if he doesn’t know a suitable surgeon? Yep – he goes to the Internet too.
The bad news is that it is not just a case of building a website. I call it the “build it and they will come” principle. Websites need to be maintained and refreshed – at least every six months. Then there is the question of social media.
MHM don’t build websites nor do we manage social media for its clients. It’s far too complicated. We just pass on the requirement to one of our partner organisations. Based on the analysis of MHM clients with a website and those without, it is pretty clear those with a website see more patients.
You sure you can’t be bothered with all this Internet stuff?? How many of you still rely on GP referrals only?
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