Social Media, Blogs, Online Tools Can Help Physicians Boost Patient Satisfaction

by Thomas R. Collins •

A passive approach to marketing might not end well, he cautioned. “You get to define your market,” Dr. Thrasher said. “What you shouldn’t rely on is your market defining you,” he added. He said you can, and should, take steps to know your patient population, to know who your competitors are, and to adjust accordingly. “If you’re not marketing yourself, they may or may not find you. … If you think they’re going to find you if you’re not there marketing yourself, it’s a delusion.”

Thomas Collins is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.

Take-Home Points

  • Social media and a web presence can be used to drive business, but constantly refreshing content, such as blogs, is important for maintaining high rankings from search engines.
  • An online presence can help physicians stay in tune with what patients want, generating better satisfaction.
  • Word of mouth is still an important factor in patient choice, so making a good impression and creating a good experience are still crucial.
  • Waiting for patients to find you, rather than using online tools to bring them to you, is risky.