Web site should reflect goals of your practice
Here’s how your practice can use the Internet
Physician Web pages have a multitude of benefits and uses, but what works best for one practice may not be what works best for you.
And after your Web page is launched and you start interacting with patients, you may come up with modifications that reflect the way patients are using your site.
"Each doctor has a style of communicating with his or her patients. It’s very individual," says Eric Golanty, PhD, an Oakland, CA-based editor and publisher of "Physician’s Guide to the Internet," an Internet Web site. "Doctors who educate a lot will have lots of information on their sites. Doctors whose patients need only a well brochure will provide that."
The way physician practices use a Web page depends on their affinity for technology, the patient population, and type of practice, says Peter Zazzara, executive director for Superior Consultant Co. Inc., a Southfield, IN, consulting firm.
Here are some of the ways physicians are using their Internet pages:
1. Increasing business.
Physicians who specialize in elective procedures such as plastic surgery and laser vision correction find Web pages a good way to increase their business, says Michael Levine, MD, co-founder of MD Web, a firm specializing in setting up Web pages for physicians.
One physician client of MD Web, a New York City surgeon who specializes in hair removal, says he gets three patients a day from his Web site, Levine notes. And a plastic surgeon who specializes in facelifts and breast augmentation reports that he gets two to three cases a month through his site, Levine adds.
2. Informing patients about procedures.
Specialists find their Web sites can be useful for informing patients and potential patients about procedures they may be considering, Zazzara says. "Reconstructive surgery, total hip replacement surgery, or dermatology procedures are among the procedures that people want to learn more about before they decide to have them."
3. Providing general information about diseases and procedures.
Physicians specializing in internal medicine are likely to find their Web site most useful as a source for patient information, Levine adds. His Web site includes information on diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts, as well as information on refractive surgery. "I use it basically to give my patients information, and if I pick up new patients, that’s a plus," he adds.
4. Providing preoperative and postoperative information.
Patients typically are so overwhelmed by the prospect of surgery that they may not remember everything they need to know, Zazzara points out. But, if they can call up your Web page, either before or after the procedure, they can find the information they need. "If you’re going in for a total hip replacement, you might not know that you’ll need a stool for the shower. Nobody can remember everything," he says.
5. Using information to improve the patient experience.
A Web site can help guide patients through a procedure or condition. For instance, an obstetrics practice could create an interactive Internet site to educate young mothers-to-be about their pregnancy, what they can expect during each phase, and what they should be doing.
"A Web site can provide tremendous educational benefits for obstetrical patients. You can design a series of interactions over the 40 weeks and give them time-specific information and instructions," Zazzara says.
6. Providing chronic disease management information.
A physician’s Internet site with links to other sites is especially useful for patients who have chronic diseases and conditions. The information you provide on your site can help patients understand their disease, educate them on treatment, and increase compliance by reminding them of what procedures they need to follow, Zazzara points out. If you provide links to the correct information, you can make sure that patients don’t get erroneous information when they do their own research.
7. Giving patients up-to-date information.
Allergists are increasingly using their Web sites to inform patients who suffer from seasonal allergies, according to Jerry Kelly, executive vice president for physician sales and marketing for Salu.net, a Portland, OR, provider of Internet application services for physicians. One allergy clinic tracks daily pollen counts on its Salu.net Web site and rates each day. For example, "very good" means it’s OK for patients to be outdoors and "very poor" means allergic patients should stay inside.
8. Customizing instructions for drug compliance and detailed information on side effects.
You could set up your own set of instructions for drugs you frequently prescribe or your site could include links to other sites that allow users to download a drug interaction program or include detailed information on drugs.
9. Communicating with family members of patients.
If your practice specializes in conditions that affect the elderly, or in caring for chronically ill or disabled patients, you may be able to save your office a lot of telephone calls by setting up an Internet site, Zazzara says.
For the baby boomers and generations ahead, caring for older parents is going to be a huge part of their lives. And many people are managing the care of their elderly parents long distance. The same is true of people whose siblings or other relatives have chronic diseases or disabling conditions.
Zazzara suggests a site that includes frequently asked questions about various conditions, links to other Web sites, and a mechanism for communication through e-mail.
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