DOCTORS CAN USE INTERNET TO IMPROVE THEIR REPUTATION

The sheer number of internet users in India alone is staggering, the world surely has many more. People all over the world seek many things online, medical help is one of the things that are constantly sought. Now with google and other search engines, bringing up the world on your screen with a few clicks, nothing is impossible. Now patients aren’t just using the internet to search for information on aliments, they search their doctors too. If searching alone wasn’t enough, they also research, evaluate and in many cases recommend their doctors to the world. This is a good news for doctors everywhere. What needs to be seen is how doctors utilize this opportunity to improve their online reputation. 

Patients on internet

These days it is common for people to simply enter their symptoms in the search engines and seek information. The amount of information that in available from various sources is mind boggling. Patients usually search for symptoms, treatments and opinions. They also seek specialist for their aliments and usually choose the ones that are highly recommended. 

Not always safe

While the search for information and the knowledge gained is important, this often makes a doctor’s task difficult. medical terms, information and cases on websites can be either complex or vague. Wrong information can be dangerous for patients as well as for doctors. Armed with their online information patients often question doctors without reasons bolstered by the backing of whatever information they found online. This is why doctors need to be online, to guide the patients and help make informed choices. 

What can doctors do?

Doctors must have a steady online presence. They should have a profile on medical sites and register on sites that put them in touch with their patients, for e.g. Aboutclinic.com. This makes it easy for the patients to find them, engage with them and reach out to them. Doctors can also start a blog/ website, be active on social media sites like YouTube, Google +, Twitter and Facebook. Answering questions on sites like Lybrate, Quora and Real Self also helps build a doctor’s credibility. 

How will it help a doctor?

A doctor’s reputation precedes him. A doctor whose online presence is strong has a good chance of snagging the attention of patients who need their help. It is easy for patients to be swayed by any amount of information online. But information what comes from a credible source will save their lives. A doctor whose online reputation is solid,boasts of blogs, recommendations and patient testimonial will definitely be a popular medical practitioner. In turn it will help you improve your practice and help you provide service to patients who seek it.