Full Transcript Introduction to Social Media in Practice 0:00 Today, I want to walk through how to think about social media as a medical practice in a way that is practical and grounded. 0:07 We'll talk about what role it actually plays, how approach the different platforms without feeling overwhelmed, what to post, 0:15 and how avoid the two biggest mistakes I see over and over again. 0:19 Ignoring it entirely or treating it too casually. 0:24 Welcome to Medical Money Matters, the podcast where you can find experts, answers, and resources so that you achieve mastery over the financial and business 0:37 aspects of your practice. 0:40 Hello everyone, I'm your host, Jill Arena. 0:43 I began my career in accounting and finance and I have more than 30 years of experience running medical groups. 0:58 In 2020, I co-founded the Physician Leadership Project, and in 2025 I released Physicians Edge, the first of its kind CME accredited online business education 1:10 for physicians. 1:12 My passion is to increase financial and business literacy for Physicians. 1:18 Episode 176, Social Media, Friend or Foe for Your Practice. 1:25 Hello everyone and welcome back to Medical Money Matters. 1:29 Today we're talking about something that tends to bring up a mix of reactions for physicians and practice leaders and that is social media. 1:37 For some of you this feels like something you know you should be doing more with but it keeps getting pushed down the list. 1:44 For others, it feels like noise or distraction, and you're not convinced it really matters. 1:50 And for a few of you, you've probably seen enough examples to feel a little cautious, maybe even concerned, about the risks.
Why Your Online Presence Matters 1:59 Honestly, all of those reactions are valid. 2:02 Because social media, especially in healthcare, really is a bit of a double-edged sword. 2:08 Done well, it can become one of your most effective tools for communication, visibility, and tris building. 2:14 Then poorly, or simply ignored, It can quietly work against you in ways that are easy to miss. 2:21 So today I want to walk through how to think about social media as a medical practice in a way that is practical and grounded. 2:29 We'll talk about what role it actually plays, how do you approach the different platforms without feeling overwhelmed, what to post, 2:36 and how you avoid the two biggest mistakes I see over and over again, ignoring it entirely, or treating it too casually. 2:46 Let's start with a mindset shift, because this is where most practices get stuck. 2:51 A lot of physicians will say, we're really not on social media. 2:55 But the reality is your practice already has a presence, whether you are actively managing it or not. 3:02 Patients are Googling you, they are reading your reviews, They are clicking on whatever profiles exist, even if those profiles were created years ago and 3:11 haven't been touched since. 3:13 And they're forming impressions before they even call your office. 3:18 For many patients, your social media presence has effectively become your first waiting room. 3:24 It's where they decide whether your practice feels professional, whether it feels trustworthy, and whether feels like a place that will take good care 3:31 of them. 3:33 And if what they see is outdated, inconsistent, or simply empty, that doesn't come across as neutral. 3:40 It often comes across neglected, and that has an impact, even if it's a subtle one. 3:47 From there, it's helpful to think about social media not as marketing, but as your practice's voice. 3:53 It's how your practices sounds to the outside world. 3:56 Every post, every image, and every update is sending a signal about who you are.
Choosing the Right Platforms 4:09 If you think about how intentional you are inside your practice—how your front desk greets patients, how your space looks, 4:16 and how you team communicates—social media is simply the digital extension of that experience. 4:23 Ideally, those two things should align. 4:25 If your in-person experience is thoughtful and high quality, your online presence should reflect that same level of care. 4:33 Now, when it comes to platforms, one of the biggest sources of overwhelm is the feeling that you need to be everywhere. 4:40 And the truth is, you don't. 4:42 What you needs is intention, not ubiquity. 4:45 Facebook, for example, is still very relevant for healthcare. 4:49 This is where many of your patients, especially families and local community members, are already spending time. 4:56 It's an excellent place for clear, practical communication. 4:59 Things like announcing flu shots, sports physicals, updated office hours, or community events work very well here. 5:07 This isn't about being flashy, this is about useful and visible. 5:12 Instagram, on the other hand, is more visual and more personal. 5:16 It gives patients a sense of your environment, your team, and your culture. 5:22 A few photos of staff, office, or even small behind-the-scenes moments can go a long way in building familiarity and comfort. 5:35 LinkedIn serves a different purpose. 5:37 It's more professional and more strategic, particularly for larger groups, specialists, or physician leaders. 5:44 This is where you build credibility, share insights, and even support recruiting efforts. 5:50 it's less about patient-facing communication, more about positioning and influence within the business community. 5:57 That's who's on LinkedIn. 5:59 And then there's your Google Business Profile, which isn't technically social media, but in many ways it is the most important digital asset you have. 6:08 This is where reviews live, where patients check basic information, and where many first impressions are formed. 6:14 If you do nothing else, managing this well is critical. 6:19 There are also newer platforms like TikTok or short form video through Instagram Reels, which can be very powerful when used intentionally. 6:28 They can great for short educational content or myth busting, but they also require a level of thoughtfulness because if they are done casually or without 6:37 a clear strategy, they can undermine credibility very quickly. 6:42 So the goal is not to be everywhere. 6:44 The goal to choose a few platforms that make sense for your practice and show up there consistently and intentionally. 6:51 That brings us to the next question, which is what to actually post.
What to Post Consistently 6:56 And this is where I like to simplify things as much as possible. 7:01 You're listening to Medical Money Matters, a weekly podcast brought to you by Healthy Practices, A health care consulting and revenue cycle company dedicated 7:10 to keeping our clients independent. 7:13 If you're looking for more ways to strengthen your business skills, check out Physicians Edge, the first of its kind CME accredited online business education 7:22 for physicians. 7:24 It's a mini MBA online course designed to help you master the financial side of your practice. 7:31 You can find that and more about how we support practices like yours at HealthEPS.com. 7:37 That's www.healtheps. 7:41 com. 7:42 And don't forget to follow or subscribe so you never miss a new episode. 7:48 You don' t need to be endlessly creative. 7:50 you just need be useful and consistent. 7:54 Some of the most effective content is also the simplest. 7:58 Clinical updates, for example, are incredibly valuable. 8:01 Letting patients know that vaccines are available, that sports physicals are being scheduled, or that you have expanded hours, 8:08 these are things patients care about and they act on. 8:12 Patient education is another strong category. 8:15 This might include preventive care reminders, seasonal health topics, or answers to common questions. 8:22 The key here is to keep it simple and accessible, not overly technical or clinical. 8:29 Practice updates are also important. 8:31 Introducing new providers, sharing that you've expanded your services, or announcing a new location all reinforce growth and stability. 8:40 It reassures patients that your practice is active and evolving. 8:45 Community presence is another powerful area. 8:48 When you share involvement in local events, schools or organizations, you are reinforcing that you're not just a business, 8:55 but part of the community. 8:57 That matters to patients. 8:59 And finally, sharing elements of your team and your culture. 9:03 Staff highlights, anniversaries, small behind the scenes moments, helps humanize your practice. 9:10 Patients don't just choose physicians, they choose environments. 9:14 And this gives them a sense of what that environment feels like. 9:18 Now, even with all of that, where I see practices run into trouble is not usually in what they post but in how they approach it overall. 9:26 There are two major mistakes that come up again and again. 9:30 The first is simply ignoring social media.
Common Social Media Mistakes 9:33 This often looks like outdated pages, no recent posts, and no response to comments or reviews.The assumption is that if you're not active, 9:42 it doesn't matter. 9:43 But it does, because an inactive presence doesn't feel neutral, it feels abandoned. 9:49 And in healthcare, that can create subtle but real doubt. 9:53 The second mistake is the opposite, which is treating social media too casually. 9:58 This is where things become inconsistent, where tone varies from post to post, or staff may be posting without clear guidelines, 10:06 Or where humor or informality doesn' quite land the way it was intended. 10:11 Occasionally, this can even cross into areas that feel unprofessional or raise compliance concerns. 10:18 The key point here is that social media is not just marketing. 10:22 It is an extension of your professional reputation, and it needs to be treated that way. 10:28 So what does doing this well actually look like? 10:31 It doesn't require complexity, but it does require intention. 10:35 First, there needs to be clear ownership. 10:38 One person or a defined team should be responsible. 10:42 It shouldn't be something that is loosely assigned or handled, quote, when someone has time. 10:48 Second, there should be basic guidelines. 10:51 You don't need a long, complicated document, but you do need clarity around tone, appropriate topics, and what fits your practice's identity. 11:00 Third, consistency matters more than volume. 11:04 you don' t need to post every day. 11:06 For most practices, two to four times per week is more that enough. 11:10 What matters is that your presence feels active and reliable. 11:15 Fourth, you need to monitor and respond. 11:17 That includes reviews, comments, and messages. 11:21 This is now part of the patient experience, whether we like it or not. 11:26 And finally, and this is where I see the biggest gap, your social media needs to align with your operations. 11:33 If you are posting about vaccine availability, you need to actually have vaccines available. 11:38 if you're promoting access, patients need be able to get appointments.
How to Manage Social Media Well 11:43 Your digital presence should reflect reality, not aspiration. 11:48 When all of this comes together, the impact is significant. 11:52 You increase visibility, which supports patient acquisition. 11:56 you stay top of mind,which supports retention.You strengthen your reputation, Which supports trust. 12:03 And you create a window into your culture,Which helps with recruiting. 12:08 And perhaps most importantly, you differentiate yourself. 12:11 Because the reality is, many practices are still not doing this well. 12:16 Which means that doing it well is still a meaningful advantage. 12:20 So when we come back to the original question, social media, friend or foe, the answer is actually very simple. 12:29 It depends on how you use it. 12:31 It becomes a friend when it is intentional, consistent, and aligned with who you are as a practice. 12:38 It become a foe when ignored, inconsistent, or overly casual. 12:43 So I'll leave you with this. 12:45 Your practice already has a voice. 12:48 Patients are already forming impressions. 12:51 Social media simply determines whether that voice is clear or confusing. 12:56 If this conversation has you thinking about how your practice is showing up, that's a great place to start. 13:02 If you haven't already, I'd encourage you to explore more episodes of Medical Money Matters and visit healtheps.com for additional resources. 13:12 And if you're looking at this and realizing that your communication, your systems, and your operations all need to work together more effectively, 13:20 that's exactly the kind of work we focus on every day with practices across the country. 13:26 You don't need be everywhere, you just need intentional in the places that matter. 13:32 Until next time. 13:34 You can find more information online at medicalmoneymatterspodcast.com, and you can sign up to be notified when enrollment opens for the Medical Money
Closing Thoughts and Resources 13:45 Matters eLearning program for a mini-MBA physician style, which will carry CME credits and will be released in upcoming months. 13:54 In that, we'll do an even deeper dive so you can understand dynamic budgeting strategies, cash flow forecasting, and other more esoteric financial concepts. 14:05 We've included those links in the show notes. 14:08 As I like to close out these podcasts, congratulations on taking the next step in your professional development and for making the commitment to learn 14:16 about the financial and business aspects of your practice. 14:19 I look forward to being on this journey with you and send you my heartfelt gratitude for all that you do for your patients all day, 14:27 every day.
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