Reaching Doctors on Social Platforms

Pharmaceutical brands and medical device companies have multichannel options when it comes to marketing to physicians and other healthcare professionals (HCPs). Social media marketing to doctors has become a key tactic to create awareness and share data, peer-reviewed journals, and other content. Why? Because doctors use social media for various reasons. In fact, special interest forums on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social channels are now the daily gathering places for physicians and other HCPs to share and learn.

Exact figures vary across sources, but several studies show that Internet usage by physicians now exceeds 80% of licensed professionals. Despite risks for potential HIPAA violations, physicians use social media on a daily basis to educate themselves, crowdsource and share knowledge, and build healthier communities. At a wider level, social media use has increased for all HCPs in general. For example, surveys have shown that many pharmacists use Facebook routinely.

For the healthcare industry as a whole, social media helps to connect with patients, promotes new partner relationships, and improves doctor’s credibility. Over half of patients surveyed in one study claim to decide on treatment based on a physician’s social media presence. In another study, 60% of doctors responded that social media improves the quality of care they provide their patients.

Peer-to-peer use of social media

The good news for pharma and medical device brands is the community-centric nature of social media websites. When HCPs share and discuss information on these channels, their knowledge base increases. But more importantly, shared knowledge among their peer group grows.

Physicians have reported that peer-to-peer interaction is one of the greatest benefits of social media. Physicians who participate in social media discussions claim that they often uncover helpful, evidence-based research and medical guidelines using LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media platforms.

Which social media channels do doctors prefer?

The discretionary nature of healthcare professionals dictates how and where they use social media. Doctors tend to favor LinkedIn because of the control users have over their profile privacy along with membership-only discussion groups. According to its Marketing Solutions blog, LinkedIn reaches over 40 percent of physicians, boasting 360,000+ members in the U.S. alone.

What has become even more popular among HCPs are exclusive-membership social portals. To participate in these channels, one has to be authenticated and approved based on credentials. Sermo is a peer-to-peer social network set up specifically for physicians. Doctors representing 68 specialties across 50 U.S. states meet on this site to network, query peers and medical experts, and discuss treatment options.

Doximity is another physician-only social network that enables content sharing that is compliant with HIPAA, providing a safer exchange of medical information. Other physician networking sites include QuantiaMD, Figure1, and Among Doctors.

How physicians use social networks

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Physicians most often join online communities where they can read news articles, listen to experts, research medical developments, consult colleagues regarding patient issues, and network.”

In a post on creation.co, insights provider CREATION Knowledge found several common behaviors healthcare providers exhibit on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Reddit. Among the findings? 

“HCPs use social media to form communities for sharing and learning from each other,” and they also “use social media to engage with patients and educate the public.”

The use of search boxes and common terms allow HCPs to quickly find pertinent information. For example, Twitter’s hashtag ontology makes it easy for physicians, researchers, and patients to find relevant content and ongoing discussions among experts and peers.

According to Pharmaphorum, “Twitter chats such as #PancChat have become more commonplace for HCPs to engage in, providing an opportunity for HCPs across the world to learn and encourage each other.”

In addition, Lara Meyer, healthcare data strategist for CREATION Knowledge, claims that healthcare professionals “use social media to provide the public a window into their day-to-day lives,” but they also “use social media to curate and share developments in their field.”

Social media should be a key part of your pharma or medical device marketing campaigns. When combined with your multimedia advertising, social media marketing can be a useful channel to communicate directly with doctors and other HCPs. Social media channels help physicians sort through information clutter and facilitate exploration with links to journal articles, clinical trials, experts in their fields. So your brand should be there as well.

To explore the multi-channel advertising options offered by Elsevier, contact us today. 

Article written by: Alex Brown