Doctors should have web presence?

With due apologies to doctors in my social circle ~ Is it forced humility, ignorance, regulatory compulsions or procrastination?

Before I present my arguments, let’s consider these facts.

1. Almost 1/5th of all Google searches is about health & wellness
2. Almost half of all urban visitors’ research about the Doctor before they visit clinics
3. 9/10 doctors have a social media presence and hardly 15% have websites.

Though healthcare practitioners are amongst the most educated, forward-thinking group in India; they also are self-confessed ignorant about digital evolution & marketing. Agreed, regulation didn’t permit them for long to promote themselves, but then, we’re in 2022.

Let’s look at the 10 key reasons why health care professionals should have their own digital presence.

1. Preventive health is focus – Doctors aren’t SoS help anymore, they’re part of the community & their opinion and outlook on healthcare and wellness is sought after. People their doctors to keep them updated on advancements in preventive health and wellness. A good doctor heals, not just cures!

2. Your prospective customers are looking for you – Your website is not a lighthouse, but the landing lights. Invite the web visitors in. The doctor is one amongst the many service providers that the consumer interacts with, every day. He has a habit of window-shopping before choosing the best. Won’t be long before your visiting card would just have your domain name.

3. Google – It’s a predictive world, everyone looks up everything beforehand. Remember, ‘If the mountain doesn’t go to Muhammed, then Muhammed must come to the mountain’. Google maps is the trusted source for directions. Allow your patients to find you easily. No consumer every forgets a good experience.

4. Independent practitioner vs corporate hospitals – Except the size of the building and the price of the tools, there isn’t much to differentiate between knowledge. If they can brand and market themselves, why can’t you? After all, the consumer is walking in to meet a doctor, not a building.

CME isn’t the only medium to share knowledge, video is. Let’s admit, many a CMEs have degenerated into social networking between select doctors and Pharma companies. There are serious knowledge seekers within your circle who want to join your high table. Don’t they deserve your voice? The content you post would be the differentiator.

5. The 5 Km Rule – The sphere of influence & catchment area of any independent doctor or polyclinic is within a 5 km radius. Let the corporate hospitals take care of medical tourism and corporate marketing; Doctors just need to stay in touch with the communities and institutions in the 5 km radius.

           
Let fellow docs discover you ~ The days ahead are of professional networking & consortiums. Multi-specialty doctors would come together with a common objective of serving a geographic community within shared facilities. Rationalization of cost & maximization of productivity isn’t a management term that healthcare doesn’t practice.

6. Organize yourself – Spend your time in what you’re best at – Treating patients. You can upgrade apps and office management tools like Scheduler, reminder, records, notes etc. progressively which make the interactions more seamless. Don’t forget, not adopting technology only increases your manpower & management cost. Why say no to incremental business?

7. Personal branding – ‘Jungle mein mor naacha kisne dekha’

 Most doctors I know do charity camps and checkups. Instead of social media pages, how about posting pics of your good deeds on your own website and allow people to become followers? Followers wait for the next professional update and add more followers. And yeah, your website is a calling card that can be shared hundreds of miles away within seconds.

8. Unique content is valued ~ Don’t wait for someone to turn up in your clinic before you answer simple questions. Put out those videos and FAQs out on your website. People value the knowledge you put out. Build engagement and loyalty with prospective customers & visitors.

9. Show your true self ~There’s a softer human side to every hard nosed professional. Not everyone reads medical journals, but everyone wants to know what you think. Your customers deserve to know who they’re meeting & what you stand for. You cannot let go your knowledge go waste; share your experiences.

10. Pyramid exists in healthcare too – The term ‘Jhola chhaap’ is an oft repeated snigger in doctors social circle, but not spoken about. Recognize that they’re an important cog in the last mile delivery of healthcare at super low cost. Your empathetic website can attract them to form the layer below you, in your catchment radius. Draft them in!

Out of sight, out of mind  – When I started my consulting journey, I used to say – Knowledge & vegetables are alike, if you can’t sell it, give it free. Else, both rot.

• Google doesn’t write medical journals and articles; it merely propagates using algorithm. Let search engines find your content on your own websites, not some other aggregator platform. That era is over. Be a proud doctor, not a UID in an aggregator platform.
• Distribute downloadable charts, instructions, posters etc. Your website can be the warehouse for any proprietary information
• Make offers. Allow yourself to be discovered.

Above all, you’re in the private space. You’re an Entrepreneur.

~ Ramesh Menon