Web based tools are making it much easier to get medical information, make appointments, keep records, and get support. These tools are transforming healthcare and the way doctors approach the practice of medicine. People are now turning to the internet as a quick sources of advice. In fact some sites such as “American Well” offer complete online doctor consultation via a webcam.

Online support group sites offer discussion groups for sufferers of a wide variety of complaints. Some of the sites encourage patients to share their stories through blogging and building up support circles amongst family, friends and peers. One site Medhelp allows patients to track their weight, blood pressure and cholesterol via tracker applications. The resulting data is then shared within a support forum enabling peers to monitor and cheer on their fellow patients!

The Medical Profession is using the web to share data more and more. Some systems even allow both the doctor and the patient to share the data. For instance PharamSURVEYOR allows both doctor and patient to record details of drugs taken and then explore various what-if scenarios to explore side effects and poor interactions. Such tools change the relationship between doctors and their patients. As consumers become more web savvy their expectations are starting to change. It is rapidly becoming the norm that customers expect to be able to get not just facts but advice from the internet. The expectation is that they will be able to find forums and discussion about any topic.

What are the communities built around your brand? It is very likely that somewhere on the internet there is a discussion going on about your company right now.  SociaLNK can help clients meet customer expectations by developing strategies for listening to these conversations and building appropriate communities around them.