Do you know what’s being said about you online? Many doctors apparently don’t: According to research by MedData Group, almost half (47%) of doctors don’t actively manage their online reputation. In this day and age, that’s a shocking figure, especially when you realize the same percentage of patients say that the reputation of a doctor matters to them when choosing a new healthcare provider.
What’s going on? As this MedData infographic shows, the disconnect is especially problematic in terms of doctors’ involvement with social media. Not only do significant percentages of providers believe that social media has created opportunities to improve services (32%) and fostered better doctor-patient communication (43%), but nearly five times as many believe it has earned them new patients (24%) vs. those who feel it’s led them to lose them (5%):
Ultimately, it’s like the old saying: Your reputation precedes you. If you’re not monitoring it, you’re not only missing out on what’s being said about you; you may also be missing out on new business.
Doctor Takeaway
Manage your reputation or others may (mis)manage it for you
When it comes to managing your reputation in these socially connected times, there are sins of commission and sins of omission. Most doctors focus on the former — e.g., inappropriate disclosures, etc. — but the latter — i.e., doing nothing — can be just as damaging. Those who have no social presence run the risk of becoming more or less invisible while those who have a presence but fail to monitor it can imperil their well-intentioned efforts without even knowing it. If either scenario sounds familiar, now’s the time to proactively monitor your reputation and make sure it accurately reflects the reality you want it to.