It seems that just about every company and organization has an online presence in the form of social media, and today this applies even to physicians and medical facilities. Today, doctors are reaching new patients and offering expertise in the form of blog posts and social media posts to their patients. But in a field as specialized and monitored as medicine, it’s highly important to observe some best practices when it comes to social media. If you are a medical facility or a physician with an online presence, here are some tips to getting the most out of social media and using it in the proper manner.
Share knowledge
One of the best ways to give credibility to your online presence and build strong patient-physician relations is to share your knowledge via social media. Write blog posts dedicated to sharing useful information, and share helpful tips with your social media posts. Strive to create on your social media platforms a place where patients can go to get accurate information on issues that are relating to them.
Post timely content
You likely devote a significant portion of your time keeping up-to-date with the latest advances in your field. Don’t forget to share relevant, timely content with your patients as well. This will work to both help keep them informed and establish a professional reputation on your end.
Cater to your patients
Similarly, remember to cater to your patients in what you share. Your patients will likely be concerned about any medical issues that they are dealing with, and social media offers you the opportunity to help ease these concerns. Help your patient navigate through the wide variety of information and opinions that exist on the Internet, and point them to information that can both keep them informed and put their minds at ease.
Show your personality
Many medical professionals—especially physicians—work directly with patients and must maintain strong interpersonal skills when communicating with their patients. Social media offers another platform where physicians can demonstrate these interpersonal skills and share their personality with the world. Just be sure when using your social media platform that you respect personal-professional boundaries.
Maintain privacy
On a related note, it is, of course, important to maintain a high regard for privacy when it comes to your patients on such a public platform. Keep comments about patients and experiences with patients to yourself. Be sure not to post any identifying information about a patient, and reserve your social media posts for more generally informative content. In addition, though social media will often give physicians increased access to information about their patients, it is best to refrain from in-depth investigations into patients’ lifestyles.
Show professionalism
Social media has become one of the most casual forms of communication, but that doesn’t mean that your social media platforms as a healthcare facility should be quite so casual. Maintain a level of professionalism by using professional language, respecting personal boundaries, and speaking from a knowledgeable perspective.
Are you a healthcare employer facing the need to hire just the right person who will contribute to a strong, positive reputation for your facility or organization? We at Fusion HealthCare Staffing come into contact with new skilled and experienced medical professionals on a daily basis. Contact us today at 855-537-8353 so that we can help you find the perfect match.