Buzz e-sante

Cela fait des années que la firme américaine Google investit dans la recherche médicale et se paye les meilleurs scientifiques du monde. Le géant d'Internet a décidé il y a peu d'investir dans le stockage et l'analyse du génome humain. Google X Lab : un délire de milliardaire ou bien le laboratoire d'un futur ultra-technologique ?

Un fonds d'investissement de 50 millions de dollars consacrés à la création d'entreprises et de technologies innovantes dans le domaine de la santé numérique

The General Medical Council (GMC) has laid the blame for a rise in patient medical complaints at the door of social media, following the publication of figures which show they have doubled over the past five years.

Between 2007 and 2012 complaints rose from 3,000 to 6,000 but only 1,000 of these were deemed worthy of investigation and only a handful resulted in formal proceedings being initiated against a doctor.

A GMC report into these trends, compiled by Peninsula Medical School at Plymouth University, found that patients are less deferential toward doctors than in the past and are thus more likely to approach the regulator or share complaints online.

This has been fuelled by social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter which act as platforms for patients to come together and discuss their treatment, as well as mechanisms for complaint.

The GMC added that the majority of complaints didn’t pertain to individual doctors but rather concerned the standard of care more generally, an issue which doesn’t fall within the GMC’s remit.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC, said: “We have no evidence that the rise in complaints against doctors reflects falling standards – what this research underlines is that patients are more willing to complain and find it easier to do so.

"Doctors too are more willing to raise concerns about their colleagues. The challenge for the GMC and other organisations is to make sure that anyone who has a concern or complaint can find their way to the right organisation to deal with it.”

In today’s technological savvy world, it is not enough for a physician to rely on referrals or word of mouth to build a patient base. Running a private practice is a business, just like any other, and marketing is a key part of creating a connection not only with potential patients, but also with networking partners and collaborates. Consider some ways a physician can leverage online tools to expand his or her reach.

Hospital Websites

Becker’s Hospital Review points out a website is a critical business tool for hospitals. The relationship between a medical facility and a physician is symbiotic. Doctors can use this to their advantage when planning marketing strategies. The “Find-a-Doctor” database allows you to become part of the hospital community. You should check regularly to ensure your name appears in the hospital directory. Consider creating listings under the doctor’s name and name of the practice to increase the odds of a hit, too.

Physicians can use the hospital website to gain exposure in other ways, as well. Query the hospital administrator about guest blogging or writing an article for the newsletter. Volunteer for a social media Q and A. The more people who see your name in connection with the hospital, the better. Ask about paid ads either online or as part of the newsletter, too.

Directories

Add your name and practice to online databases such as Healthgrades.com or ZocDoc.com. These sites target searches to connect patients with physicians in their area. While you are at it, add a posting to business directories, as well. Google MyBusiness, for example, puts your name and practice on local maps. Other options include:

Social Media

Becker’s also states that patients between the ages of 18 and 24 rely on information from social media sites. Leveraging this form of communication will increase your access to lifelong patients and emerging families. Facebook and Twitter are obvious choices, but expand your social media horizons to include video options.

Film short discussions on current health care issues and post them to your YouTube channel. For example, a quick blurb about controlling blood pressure through diet or summer eating habits provides helpful information on a topic you can cover quickly. Ecommerce University suggests that videos under two minutes get the most views on YouTube. Tip: If the video is shorter in length, transcribe the video in the notes section for better SEO results.

Once you have videos uploaded, use your other social media and website assets to promote them. You can embed a video directly onto the practice’s Facebook page. Create discussion groups or a video blog with a comments section on the website to talk about current issues covered in the videos, too. The more personal you make it, the stronger the impact.

Don’t lose sight of the big picture when planning your marketing campaigns. The goal is to connect. Doctors can leverage a number of online tools to make that happen. Improving communication options though patient portals, dedicated social media pages and videos are practical, cost-effective approaches to physician marketing.

This year in the U.S. and Canada, 75 million of 600 million appointments with general practitioners will involve electronic visits, or eVisits, according to new research from Deloitte.

Physicians today often find themselves asking, "Who has time for social media?" Since most providers are focused on the chaos of reimbursements, busy practices and healthcare reform, it's no wonder that social media time is not a high priority.

But if you’ve been paying attention to society, business, and commerce over the last few years, you would know that social media has developed a very effective purpose in helping professionals communicate, engage in professional development and build meaningful reputations in their fields.

Social media is also a very effective way for physicians to manage their online reputations, which has become more and more important in today’s competitive healthcare marketplace.

Many physicians will argue that engaging in social media could be beneficial, but also brings about a certain amount of risk. Dr. John Mandrola negates this argument in hisMedCity News article titled, Doctors and Social Media: It’s Time To Embrace Change. 

Dr. Mandrola writes, “But I ask: What medical intervention, what shot at making things better, comes free of risk? A rule of doctoring is that to do good a doctor must risk doing harm. A distinguished heart surgeon once consoled me—after I had caused a procedural complication—that if I didn’t want complications, I shouldn’t do anything.”

Dr. Mandrola sees the “risk” argument as a confining attitude that many physicians often take – keeping them trapped in the same outdated rituals that have perpetuated the healthcare industry for years.

“In the hyper-connected world of 2014, medical professionals have reached a fork in the road. One path is a road well traveled. On this familiar route, we continue to keep our heads down, stay in the weeds, out of trouble. Don’t wiggle; don’t rock the boat; check the boxes; fill out the forms and accept what comes. Don’t dare engage in the online conversation. Choosing this path is like not treating a disease: less ownership confers less personal risk.”

Dr. Russel Faust provides five great reasons in his Whitepaper, Social Media Guide for Docs, 12 Tips For Beginners.  

Ce second article sur l’observance fait le point sur les outils modernes qui se développent pour encourager votre prise de médicaments au quotidien et faciliter la gestion de votre polyarthrite rhumatoïde.     Des applications smartphone en nombre. Plusieurs applications ont vu le jour, souvent à l’initiative de différentes institutions ou des groupements de pharmaciens. …

While shared medical appointments offer patients with like conditions the ability to support and learn from one another in person, emerging social media platforms can offer similar benefits from a distance. What's more, medical practices that embrace this trend can achieve better patient engagement while delivering a strong marketing message, according to an articlefrom Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News.

In the GI arena, examples of Facebook-like sites that allow patients and organizations to connect include RA Connection, GI Connection and Chronology.Cancer Connect is another popular online community, with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center among the institutions that use the site to offer patients and families additional support.

In addition, the site offers healthcare organizations unique branding opportunities. "On a practice's website, Cancer Connect is part of the patients' experience as it relates to that particular institution, an approach that may improve patient retention, increase patient referrals and enhance patient satisfaction," Charles Weaver, M.D., an oncologist and founder of Cancer Connect, told attendees at the 2014 GI Roundtable.

And while social media and the way healthcare organizations use it continues to evolve, experts contend that it's a mistake for providers to not get involved. "Historically, we've focused on the intervention, but patients want us to connect with them before they arrive at the clinic or hospital," M. Bridget Duffy, M.D., chief medical officer at Vocera Communications, said at the conference. "They want us to understand their preferences; they want a personalized plan and a path to their well-being; and they want a connectivity after they leave."

While Proteus Digital Health received the largest investment in the first half of 2014 as well as the first half of 2013, last year Proteus raised $62.5 million, but this year, announced in two separate SEC filings, Proteus raised $172 million. Similarly, while last year, the top ten digital health investments brought in a total of $252.5 million, this year, the top ten investments totaled $553 million.