Greater Means of Communication Could Lead to Higher Risks
Communication is, without a doubt, the basis of Social Media. Unfortunately, for the millions of businesses around the world operating Facebook Fan Pages, we are unable to directly communicate with our fans without the entire Facebook community viewing our message. As many of you are aware, Facebook removed the direct message feature from Fan Pages; due to an influx in misconduct from spamming agencies. Without this feature, Page Administrators... Read More
Taking the Plunge Into Social Media
At times, we find convincing a physician or practice administrator to jump feet first into the deep, unknown pool of social media is more difficult to accomplish than getting a child to eat their vegetables. Most give short, one-word responses; ranging from, “No.” to “Why?” So, why do we remain relentless in our push to involve healthcare professionals in the world of social media? According to the Pew Research Center, “61% of adults... Read More
A Healthcare Marketer’s View on Outbound vs. Inbound Marketing Strategies
A very interesting and informative piece circulated on Twitter this week and caught my attention. The post by Jeff Bullas, Social Media Marketing: 10 Inspiring Infographics (Great resource piece!) shares some great statistics and examples of the power and influence of social media on our behaviors and buying patterns as consumers. Jeff also dives deeper into the conversation related to the shift from outbound marketing efforts, or what I like to call... Read More
Congratulations to our own, Jamie Verkamp!
Congratulations to our own, Jamie Verkamp, for receiving the MGMA-ACMPE Edward B. Stevens Article of the Year Award! The Edward B. Stevens Article of the Year Award recognizes a medical practice professional who has made a substantial contribution to the body of published literature to foster more effective and efficient healthcare delivery in the field of medical practice management. The article, “Titled Social Media as a Way to Connect with Patients”... Read More
Healthcare Customer Service the Panera Way?
When I’m out of town for work, I spend a fair amount of time at Panera. They are consistent across the country, have some healthy food options, convenient locations and the ever-coveted free wifi connection. This morning, as I spent time between client staff trainings on improving the patient experience, I overheard a Panera employee “practicing what I preach” each day–she delivered a personal experience to her customers.... Read More
Costs vs Benefits of Healthcare Social Media Participation
The healthcare social media twitter chat (otherwise known as #hcsm, happens every Sunday at 8pm CST) was a buzz last night with many great topics related to healthcare’s adoption of this new media and how to continue to engage with patients online. It’s a hot topic in healthcare right now; organizations such as hospitals, health systems and private practices alike are all grappling with understanding how they can best use the tools and... Read More
The DMV and the Patient Experience: Too Closely Related?
I had the pleasure of having both my driver’s license and my vehicle tags come up for renewal the same month, warranting a trip to my local DMV. I found myself dreading the experience and frankly, putting it off until the end of the month; the long wait, taking off from work in the middle of the day because of the less-than-convenient hours, the threat of poor customer service and the cumbersome paperwork all loomed like a heavy cloud over my... Read More
Head in the Sand: Hiding from the Changes in Healthcare
As healthcare consultants, we travel… a lot. This week, we’ve been speaking at conferences in three different states. Though all over the map, many of the healthcare conference attendees seemed to have one thing in common: resistance and dread for change. Our Partner, Jamie Verkamp, asked one audience how many of them wished that social media was a fad and wanted to put their heads in the sand until it passed; over half of the room raised their... Read More
Healthcare Leaders Focus on the Patient Experience this Year
Healthcare Leader’s Magazine’s Physician Issue published in November was chalked full of many great articles, including physician involvement in ACO’s and what healthcare trends to watch out for in the coming year. One statistic that grabbed my attention was a study they had done earlier in the year of top ranking healthcare organization executives. The study showed that 72% of senior healthcare leaders say that the patient experience has been... Read More
Staff Burnout: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Emotionally drained employees in the physician’s office can create a negative experience for patients and big headaches for healthcare managers and administrators. With mounting stress in the physician’s office, increasing workloads, and dealing with disgruntled patients, it’s easy for staff members to burnout. Staff burnout happens when employees feel overwhelmed and become emotionally drained. This can occur for a number of reasons and typically... Read More
