How Has the Internet Affected the Healthcare Industry? Part 2

Since the Internet came into widespread use, it has become an almost essential tool in American life, causing the need for Internet marketing. According to the latest figures (2012), 74.8% of Americans have computers and Internet in their homes. Another 3% access it at other places such as at work, library, or other locations. With many companies, if you don’t have Internet access, you can’t apply for a job.

The biggest asset that the Internet provides is connectedness. Not only can you find information on nearly anything in the world, it gives businesses another outlet for reaching the buying public and provides faster exchange of information. Website design, SEO, social media marketing and even video editing become an important part of doing business.

However, maybe most important thing that the Internet does, it allows people to stay in closer touch.

Improving Health Care Worldwide

Last year, Mark Zuckerberg, one of the founders of Facebook, announced a program that would make Internet access more available to people in developing countries. Some of the criticism has been fierce, stating that non-developed countries don’t need technology; they need clean water, food and medicine.

However, it has been shown that Internet access in these countries has helped to greatly improve the quality and distribution of health care and provide life saving information. A smartphone mobile application was recently created by Stanford students that improved the delivery of clean water to a large slum located in Kenya. Information on the sources, quality and cost of water gave people the ability to identify sources of poor quality water that made people ill.

Another app helps community workers locate cholera treatment in the places that have no doctors. While we use our smartphones for often-trivial things, mobile phones in these undeveloped countries can be the first line of defense against a public health emergency. These mobile phones and Internet access can mean life or death and have nothing to do with updating social media status.

Through the use of the Internet, physicians can collaborate on diagnoses and work together to find the best treatment options for patients in areas without advanced medical facilities available, thus improving and saving lives.

Closer to Home

Closer to home, the health care industry seems to be behind in making use of the connectedness that the Internet offers. The Internet provides a truly personal way for doctors and patients to interact, and it could also make patients more involved with their own health care.

While there are some health care provider companies that allow patients to make appointments and order prescriptions through the Internet, they are very few. Providing a system that would allow patients to view items in their patient record could also provide an incentive for them to be more proactive in their health care.

Since the advent of the Internet, businesses have come to realize the advantage of marketing online. These days, if you don’t have an inviting website design, search engine optimization and a great Internet marketing group, you may as well not be in business.

Running a physician’s office also needs to be run as a business to remain successful. The use of the Internet through social media and email provides a physician’s office a welcome tool to keep in closer contact with patients. Enabling patients to make appointments and request prescription refills can simplify their lives and the lives of those in your office. Verifying appointments can also become easier, with just click of a button. Making these things available and mentioning it on your website homepage may be just the thing that causes a person to pick up the phone and call your office instead of someone else’s.

At Axiom Health Care Marketing, we know how to design a website that will attract the attention your practice deserves. From Pensacola to Palm Coast, we will custom design a site especially for your practice. There is no “one size fits all” mentality here. We know all there is to know about Internet marketing, website design, social media marketing, and search engine optimization. We are the SEO company that you want in your corner for pushing your practice to further success.

Published by Axiom Health Care Marketing