Kansas City, MO -- (SBWire) -- 04/13/2011 -- As healthcare consultants, we travel… a lot. This week, we’ve been speaking at conferences in Kansas, Texas and New Jersey. Though all over the map, many of the healthcare conference attendees seemed to have one thing in common: resistance and dread for change.
Our Partner, Jamie Verkamp, asked one audience how many of them wished that social media was a fad and wanted to put their heads in the sand until it passed; over half of the room raised their hands.
That resistance is supported by the fact that only 906 hospitals out of more than 5,000 in the U.S. have social media accounts. In other breakout sessions, there were voices of anxiety and confusion over healthcare reform. Which initiatives would be implemented? When? And how were they supposed to keep their heads above water with this tidal wave of regulatory change?
To survive and hopefully flourish during industry transformation, we look at a process similar to the Kubler-Ross Model, or the stages of grieving. There are the stages of denial (insert head in sand) and anger (I don’t have time to jump through all of these hoops!), but ultimately, we must realize and accept what is out of our control. The sooner we accept that healthcare is entering a new age, the sooner we can use it to our advantage and compete with those who have already gotten here.
We must realize that EMR transitions have to be done, that patients now expect to find their physicians online, and that the dominance of Facebook is changing every industry, even healthcare. UbiCare’s 2011 White Paper says it best: “Given that Facebook eclipsed Google in 2010 as the most visited website by Americans, garnering over 8% of all website visits in the US, we all need to actively ‘get with the program’ and make sure we know how it applies to our institution.”
The difference between industry pioneers and all of the others is the tenacity to tackle any challenge, even capitalize on it. Social media is here to stay and patients now expect healthcare providers to meet them online; how do I engage and educate my patients? Patient satisfaction is now tied to reimbursement; what changes can I make to the patient experience to take my clients beyond satisfaction?
No one is saying change is easy. But it is easier to swallow with a good attitude and preparedness. The old adage is true: the only constant is change. Those who master the art of graceful change will ultimately top the industry, win more business and be better equipped for future turbulence; because this era of change will hardly be the last.
(e)Merge is a medical practice growth consulting firm specializing in providing innovative, patient-centric marketing initiatives and medical mystery shopping services that enhance patient experiences to increase referrals. For more information, call 816-326-8464 or visit http://www.emergewithus.com.
Head in the Sand: Hiding from the Changes in Healthcare
Plenty in our industry are in denial about the new age of healthcare- but it’s that mindset that will ultimately hold them back.