Excuse me doctor, can you help me with this…

Putting a doctor, dentist or any other medical professional on Facebook is tricky. Brands often face customer service questions, which can be challenging, but not nearly as challenging as medical issues.

My editorial and social media work has taken me across a wide variety of industries, but there’s no industry more interesting (and flat out baffling) than the medical field. But if there’s one lesson that translates across each one of them, it’s the need and value of transparency.

If you’re considering representing a medical professional on social media, strategy and execution are constantly in motion. And if you’re a medical professional looking for help, these lessons will help you choose the best path for your practice.

Client engagement

For the medical profession, jumping into social media can feel like drinking from a firehouse. Set your client (or yourself) up for success with a few simple guidelines:

• Work on your social media plan together and monitor execution closely
• Answer every single comment that’s posted to your wall
• Commit to a response time when questions/comments are posted on the wall – max 12 hours during the week and 36 hours on the weekend is a good place to start
• Draft templates for common questions to make the process quicker

For many doctors, Facebook represents a new way to reach patients and potential patients. But if you’re going to engage, commit to continuing to engage. A deserted Facebook Business page is more damaging than a non-existent one.  

Best foot forward

Ever show up at work on casual Friday wearing your Saturday garage-cleaning outfit? Casual doesn’t mean sloppy and social media is no different. Start with a beautifully designed landing page and add in press materials and/or images. Then it’s time to get comfortable and start chatting with everyone who visits your page – put on your best bedside manner. 

The conversations themselves should be relaxed and lighthearted – casual – but not sloppy or disruptive. Whether you’re representing a client in the medical profession or yourself, respect and care for the profession are priority number one.

The medical advice issue

Some people think meeting a doctor at a cocktail party makes it acceptable to ask for free medical advice. It’s not. Likewise, a doctor on Facebook does not mean you can roll up your shirt and ask about that weird looking mole. When people do this (and they will) be prepared.

• Don’t give medical advice.
• Pass along the office number or refer to an online resource where they can get find a doctor
• Don’t give medical advice. Did I mention, ever?

If you’re updating for a client, make it clear that you’re the support team. Taking on the doctor’s voice is false advertising and if you get caught, you could do irreparable damage. Updating as the support team also allows you to gracefully redirect medical inquiries to the office.

Crisis management

Social media can be an evangelistic moment for people who love a brand – but it can also be a place to dump the trash. Before you even begin, map out your crisis path and ensure all parties are in agreement.

Being prepared helps everyone involved with the project understand their role and expectations surrounding it. And when something happens (which eventually it will) you’ll be able to access your plan and tweak for the next time. A measured, controlled response is always easier to learn from than a panicked reaction.

Doctors and other medical professionals who venture onto social media are pioneers. And if you’re lucky enough to work with one brave enough to take on this adventure, plan to learn. A lot.

Got social media questions? Follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook or connect with me on LinkedIn – I’m always on.