Consumer Engagement Via Online Physician Videos – Going Way Beyond the Mundane

// By Dan Dunlop //

In 2010 several hospitals and health systems made news by pioneering “speed-dating” events, where prospective patients could meet physicians in five-minute intervals in the hope that this brief introduction might spark a future relationship. This development created a furor among some healthcare profes­sionals who felt that these speed-dating events were beneath the medical profession. However, this trend pointed out the clear desire on the part of consumers to have a better feel for a physician before they make a selection. Even in a five-minute exchange, a consumer can get a sense of the physician’s character and approach to patient care. This option had to be an im­provement over the prevailing method for reviewing physicians online – the hospital’s physician finder.

The vast majority of online physician finders offer healthcare consumers a less than fulfilling experience. A physician profile typically consists of a head-and-shoulders photo of the doctor and a few bullet points that summarize the physician’s education, training, and language proficiency. Within the industry, it is uncommon to find professional profiles that ad­dress the physician’s philosophy of care or personality. There is very little in the typical online profile to help the prospective patient make a personal connection. That begs the question: How can organizations develop physician profiles that en­gage prospective patients on a more human and emotional level?

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