- 85% of the population searches for health information on the Internet as their first and only option.
- It is essential for doctors to have an online image that reflects their professional excellence.
- Medical platforms that appear in the first results of search engines are the main generators of patients.
The Internet and new technologies have revolutionized the doctor-patient relationship. While major advances such as telemedicine or mobile devices for health monitoring are still in their infancy, patients have already changed their habits and trust the data and evaluations they find on the Internet more than other more traditional sources. So much so that 85% of the population only looks for health information on the Internet, according to a study by ONtsi for the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. In this scenario, the doctor who does not have a well-developed image and an impeccable presence on the Internet practically does not exist for digital patients. The “online reputation” is a new concept for medical specialists who have a very good image in the real world but, in many cases, have not been able to capture it on the Internet.
Top Doctors ®, the leading digital platform in the identification of doctors and medical centers of first level, points out which are the steps that the doctor must follow for the good management of its online image, from the hand of three of its doctors with good presence on the Internet, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Director and Founder of ‘Institut Dr. Natalia Ribé’, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé, Dr. Natalia Ribé and Dr. Natalia Ribé, among others. Manuel Villanueva, Medical Director of the Avanfi Martínez Institute, and Dr. Federico Hernández Alfaro, maxillofacial surgeon at the Teknon Medical Center. These experts assure that medicine and new technologies are perfectly compatible. “We doctors also have to adapt to the new times,” says Dr. Natalia Ribé. “Today’s society speaks the 2.0 language and if we don’t speak it, we won’t be able to communicate properly with them. But the image we must give has to fit what the patient is looking for and be impeccable.”
The 7 must-haves for the digital doctor
1. Online visibility: a guarantee of quality and professionalism Be on the Internet, yes, but not just any old way. Patients search and compare on the Internet. A bad image with an outdated website or poor-quality photographs can lead the patient to choose another doctor. Users look for CV data, the professional experience of the specialists, photographs of themselves and the practice, as well as information that reflects their experience in the pathologies they treat. “It is important to make it clear that you are not just any doctor who owns a blog, clinic or treatment that has become fashionable,” says Dr. Villanueva. “Marketing is important, but we have to help the patient to critically analyze the scientific and academic merits, to recognize our trajectory, our contributions to the medical community. All this information and quality assurance should be clearly stated in our online cover letter and in the rest of our digital activity”.
Content generation Medical information tops the lists of Internet searches. Patients want answers and solutions, so they read, analyze and search for options. The fact that a certain doctor resolves their doubts not only helps them at a specific moment, but also increases their confidence in him and builds loyalty. “It is important to provide quality and simplicity at the same time, to use professional language, but clear and approachable,” says Dr. Natalia Ribé. The generation of content is also a strong positioning mechanism in online search engines, and its viralization will contribute to raising awareness of the doctor and the clinic, and to attracting more patients.
3. 24-hour accessibility Complementing telephone calls to consultations with an online booking system that allows patients to make appointments, change their time or cancel them at any time of the day, is a ‘must’ nowadays. This is an option that has a direct impact on the quality of customer service and customer satisfaction. In fact, data indicate that an online appointment system could increase doctors’ appointments by 28% to 43%.
4. Digital interaction with the patient Doctor-patient communication has acquired special relevance at all levels, as the patient seeks the quality of the overall medical experience as opposed to the traditional 10-minute face-to-face consultation. The speed that the Internet brings to communications means that patients demand immediacy of responses and a ‘plus’ in their medical care. “These ‘extras’ that the patient demands and that the physician is able to offer thanks to new technologies are, for example, sending information via email, distributing newsletters on new treatments or services, publications on informative events aimed at patients that may be of interest to them, articles analyzing current issues, answering the most immediate questions through comments on their articles in the blog, etc…”, says Dr. Hernandez Alfaro. “More than just offering information, it is a matter of trying to develop true communication.
5. Online patient follow-up after consultations New technologies also offer the possibility of optimizing patient follow-up and control. Patients appreciate it when their clinic periodically reminds them by email, text message or WhatsApp that their medical appointment is coming up. Many patients forget their appointments or are forced to postpone them, so an alert of this kind makes them remember to make another one. Also, as an additional service you can offer them, for example, personal web areas, where they can find personalized information, treatment details, steps to follow, new appointments, tips, pages to follow…..
6. Loyalty to the patient so that he/she values the online service The old word of mouth is nowadays the patient’s evaluations on the Internet. Before making a decision and opting for one specialist or another, patients seek the opinions of other people who have already had a consultation and can provide guidance on the treatment and proximity of the doctor or the consultation experience. In this sense, they are wary of false profiles and opt for platforms that only allow real patients who have been to the doctor’s office to give their opinion.
7. Link Building and belonging to medical platforms of excellence Being present on other websites generates visits to the doctor’s or clinic’s website. “Belonging to platforms that help you position yourself and make you visible is essential,” says Dr. Villanueva. “The patient uses these tools very assiduously and does so through multiple devices, whether it is a cell phone, tablet or PC”. However, the doctor stresses the need to differentiate oneself from others and to be on platforms that are, in the patient’s eyes, a guarantee of excellence because “the Internet is a sea of people, but in the end the patient is always going to check whether the doctor recommended to him is among the best, what his track record is and whether he is trustworthy. And it is not enough just to have good comments on a blog or website where anyone can give their opinion”. According to Dr. Natalia Ribé, “this type of online presence on platforms of excellence can increase the number of first consultations by up to 15% and, in addition, those who come to the clinic do so with more confidence”. Given current patient behavior, doctors are already obliged to comply with 2.0 requirements. It is a fact that an excellent online presence on the part of the physician increases patient confidence, patient loyalty and visits to the practice. The Internet has become the most valued and used means of access for today’s patient, who is well informed and who is looking for the best medical option among all, as well as the variety of professional opinions, in order to find the answer to his or her health problems.