Social Media For Practitioners

Yesterday, on the fly, I did a live video webcast testing out a new software I'd like to start using. For about 45 minutes I took live questions and had a blast with a fun group of people!

One person got on the camera and asked me this,

"I work with doctors and practitioners managing their social media. It's so hard getting engagement and interaction for them because they're not going to blog, they really aren't available to be live every day. Is social media just not relevant or applicable to doctors?"

My answer came quickly but I thought I'd share it with all of you here, so that everyone could see it and have it to help them with their business or ministry.

Here's my answer:

There's not one business, one ministry, practice or writer or singer or anything that social media isn't relevant and applicable for! The only thing is, we have to break all the typical policies, standards and procedures.

Doctors don't have to blog, have a staff member be the 'face of the practice' but the physician should take the time to tweet and post on Facebook a few times a day and interact with people. Care. Really care. That's why doctors go to medical school. To fix things. Bring a solution. Save a life. So help someone online, via social media and make their day. No, you can't give medical advice but you sure can use your credibility to bring hope and life.

Over and over again practitioners have been told to 'not get personally attached to their patients.' This is the biggest piece of crap advice I've ever seen in my life! How on earth can someone who is driven to save lives, bring a solution and create change supposed to NOT CARE in the process? Oh that's smart! Disconnect your heart and take care of people.

What we don't want, and no one has ever been able to teach this with professionalism, is is codependence, inordinate attachment and inappropriate relationships. But for crying out loud if you are a doctor CARE! Really care! Pour your heart into it! Laugh, cry and work hard for and with every patient!

Imagine if we started to see that with news networks like CNBC, ABC, Fox News and more? What if the person on the new television show was REALLY available a few times per day to actually speak LIVE and real time to the audience via social media? What would happen to ratings THEN?

Would this cause a higher level of accountability? I think so. But hey.. God forbid. We all have to be on our best behavior and have a good heart. 🙂

My friends, there's not one business, ministry or platform anywhere that social media isn't relevant or applicable to. But how we 'do this thing' will take a new mindset. AND… I believe it will yield results beyond what we could have ever expected!

That's why I believe in creating A REAL CHANGE through social media! And I sign my emails and blog posts with my heart.

With love,
Sandi Krakowski