LEARN INSURANCE

When you need information on a health topic, the first thing you are likely to do is a google search. However, you will get fed up and frustrated very soon. Rather than help you find what you need, google will display hundreds of websites, many of which provide information which is outdated, unreliable , dangerous and even downright wrong ! You will just get confused and may end up sicker, simply because google has no way of judging how good or bad a medical website is. And as Mark Twain pointed out many years ago - " Be careful when you read a health book - you may die of a misprint !"



You need a better way of searching for health information as compared to google ! You need information which has been tested for its reliability and accuracy - knowledge which has been created by experts who understand your needs and specialise in providing only what you need - reliable , updated trustworthy information which is easy to read. You do not need hundreds of pages of rubbish - you need one page of clear, well-written information !




The good news is that there is a solution - the Healthwise Knowledgebase, which is produced by Healthwise, a non-profit organisation , and the world's largest producer of patient educational materials.

Try out this widget if you want to search the Healthwise Knowledgebase - it's a great way of finding reliable information on any health topic - and it's free !

It's become a knee jerk reflex for most people to use the web when they have a medical problem. They need information, and it's quite logical that the internet is the first place they turn to ( most people live in nuclear families and don't have a family physician, so they can no longer tap into the insights of their family doctor or the wisdom of their grandmother).

While the web is a great source of health information, unfortunately, using google to search for information is not always a smart thing to do. This is because while google is a great search engine, it's not always good at helping you to find reliable information. Google finds lots of stuff - but a lot of it is poor quality garbage - and google is not smart enough ( yet !) to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff !

For health searches, quality is far more important than quantity ! You do not need hundreds of search results - you just need one page of reliable, trust worthy, updated, easy to read information !

This is where the Healthwise Knowledgebase comes in ! Try searching google for any health problem - and then try searching the Healthwise database - and let me know which is better !

It's well known that most patients will google their symptoms and signs when they fall ill. Patients use the internet extensively to research their disease; to check on the treatment options available to them; to connect with other patients; and to select the right doctor.

However, if there so many patients are online, why don't more Indian doctors have their own websites ? Indian doctors are considered to be well-read; well-informed; and their clinical skills are usually excellent. Moreover, India is an IT powerhouse , which means one would logically expect that most Indian doctors would have their own website, which they could use to attract more patients; and to educate their existing patients.

While many Indian doctors now do have their own email address ( though many senior doctors still do not use email; or get their secretary to read and write their emails for them), most still do not have their own website because they do not see the need for this.

Senior doctors who have a flourishing practise without a website are quite happy to continue coasting along on their reputation. They do not think a website will add any value to their practise , and are not interested in exploring this new platform. Some are suspicious of these new-fangled fads; while others will actively criticise doctors who have websites, because they feel they are a form of advertising - something which is below their dignity !

Other doctors understand the value of having their own website, but because they are not computer-savvy, they are not sure how to go about getting one. They are worried that having a website is a very expensive option - and are not willing to invest the time and energy in creating one. They'd rather continue muddling along in the fashion to which they are accustomed - and they are quite contented getting patients through kickbacks and referrals because they cannot think out of the box.

Many doctors are employed by corporate hospitals; and they feel that the corporate hospital website provides enough of an online presence for them. Some doctors have had an unhappy experience with website companies in the past. They have burned their fingers badly, and are no longer willing to trust computer professionals any more. Others have done a half-hearted job ( using free websites offered to them by pharma companies) ;and because these did not result in any tangible benefits, they have jumped to the wrong conclusion that it's not worth creating a website because not enough Indian patients are online.

This is a major error on their part. Internet penetration is increasing by leaps and bounds in India - especially with the introduction of 3GH services and inexpensive smartphones. Doctors who do not have their own website will start losing patients to doctors who are online - and this gap will increase progressively over time !

If you are in practise, you cannot afford to be left behind - and this is especially true of the younger generation of doctors, who need to establish their practise and attract patients.

Rule Number 1 for any successful doctor is - go to where the patients are ! In the past, the patients were in hospitals, which is why hospital attachments were so actively sought after. Today, it's a completely different world - and the best place to reach out to patients is the online world !

Clever companies such as Plus91 ( in which I am an angel investor) have realised that there is a huge opportunity for a startup in India which specialises in providing websites for doctors only. They have married technological expertise with medical knowledge, to create a great portfolio of websites for Indian doctors. Since this is their only niche, they have a lot of expertise and experience in this space, in which they have become market leaders ! They can set up a customised website for a doctor ( with your own domain name) within 3 days ! You can check out their work at www.websitefordoctors.in !

Many doctors are still worried that it's unethical to have a personal website.They feel that this amounts to advertising, and that a website is a way of soliciting patients.

I strongly disagree. In fact, I feel it's unethical for a doctor not to have their own website ! The word doctor is derived from the word, " docere", which means to teach. This clearly means that one of the key responsibilities of a doctor is to teach their patients. While many doctors do this face to face, the amount of teaching which can be done this way is very limited - and a conversation is not the best way of transmitting information.

Doctors who publish their own websites communicate with their patients online - and a website is a much more powerful tool of reaching out to thousands of people who are looking for information ! If the doctor wants to be sure his website is popular and gets lots of traffic, he needs to provide information on his website which is of value to patients, which means his website has to be full of patient educational content . Good doctor's websites are not all about the doctor - they are all about the patient !

A website allows a doctor to provide authentic , reliable updated information to patients. This information is local - and can be provided in the regional language ! Since it's provided by a trusted figure, patients are much more likely to trust this information.

Doctor's websites are a great way of reducing medical myths and misconceptions; and educating society at large !

Equally importantly, having a website forces a doctor to be transparent and honest. He cannot tell a lie on his website, as this will get him into serious trouble. This is good for patients - and doctors as well ! It also teaches the doctor to be much more patient-centric as he has to use simple words which his patients can understand when talking to them online !

If I were the Health Minister of India, the first thing I would do would be to make sure every doctor had their own website. This would create a win-win situation, which would help both doctors and patients !

Our website is the global face of our clinic. I take it very seriously, because we treat patients from all over the world and our website is the first point of contact for all our patients. It’s crucial to our success and our webmaster plays a key role in our business !

I need a webmaster who understands the importance of a website in our business – someone who does not see himself as just a web designer, but rather as a business partner who can help us to grow.

Here’s my wish list for a perfect web designer/ webmaster.

• His competence and efficiency is taken for granted – but I am a premium client, and want to be treated as one. I am willing to pay the additional premium, and I want someone who understands the importance of keeping me happy !
• I want someone who will extend my horizons – someone who will push me to explore new digital technologies and will keep me on my toes. I’d like someone who comes up with new ideas – and encourages me to explore them.
• I want someone who understands that I am a professional and that I am investing my hard earned money in my website – someone who will do their best to maximize my ROI.
• I want someone who makes me happy to work with him – someone who is willing to listen to my suggestions as to what he can do to improve the quality of services he provides to me.
• I expect him to grow and keep up with the new technologies – so that as he grows , so will our website ! I want someone who is willing to partner with other web companies, who have complementary skill sets, so he can provide a more exciting range of services.
• I want someone who is willing to put in the effort to be a “one-stop shop” for me, so I do not have to talk to many service providers about my digital presence
• I need quick replies and a fast turnaround time. If my website is down , this is an emergency – and I need a quick response and a fast fix ! I want someone who will monitor my website uptime – and will fix problems if they arise by talking to my web hosting company.
• I want someone who will take a proactive role in helping me to reach out to more patients ! He will teach me about Web 2.0; social media; facebook ads and google adwords, so I can explore these additional avenues.
• I want someone who has a ticketing system to log in complaints – and provide me a with a timeline in which they will be fixed !
• I want someone who is customer centric. As a doctor, I am in the service business and am intensely focused on what I can do to help my patients. I want someone who treats me exactly the way I treat my patients – with respect ; and the assurance that I will get the full attention of a consummate professional, who will give me value for money !

This is one of the commonest complaints patients have about their doctor. It's true that doctors are very busy and have lots of patients to see. While it would be great if your doctor had all the time and patience and energy in the world to answer your questions, the truth is that the amount of time you have with your doctor is going to be limited.

It's part of a doctor's job to educate his patients. A doctor who does not do this is not a good doctor, simple. However, it can be very boring for a doctor to answer the same questions again and again - and doctors are human too - they get fed up and bored as well !

How can you help your doctor to make the most of the limited time you have with him, so he can clear your doubts and answer your queries ?

The best way to to do this is to get your doctor to respect you, so that he treats your concerns and doubts with courtesy . However, you need to earn this respect. The best way of doing so is by being well-informed; and you can do this by educating yourself as much as possible about your problem, both before you visit your doctor , and afterwards. This will allow you to be
considerate with the doctor's time, so that you can ask him specific, pointed queries . ( Doctors are smart and most like answering clever questions - it's the ones they are asked all the time which they find boring !)

Some patients just ask questions for the sake of asking these. These just waste the doctor's time and irritate him - causing you to lose his goodwill and respect. Thus, many question are best answered by the support staff , rather than the doctor. ( If you need to know what the clinic timings are, please ask the receptionist, not the doctor !)

Other patients have a long laundry list of questions. While I approve of the fact that patients have taken the time and trouble to write their questions down, it also bothers me that they have not bothered to find out the answers to these questions by just taking the time to visit our website at www.drmalpani.com ! I do get upset by intelligent patients who do not take the effort to go online and educate themselves about their problem. If they will not take the trouble to help themselves, why should they expect their doctor to go out of his way to help them ?

If a doctor gets irritated with your questions, this means he does not respect you. This is not acceptable behaviour. If he is very busy , he does not need to do the basic education himself - he can do it through his website; with DVDs; or with the help the help of a nurse. Clever doctors will get an assistant to explain the basics, so they only have to explain advanced concepts ( as to how the treatment will be tailored for the individual patient) .

I prefer answering my patient's questions by email . Most questions are ones other patients have asked me in the past, so it's quite easy for me to answer these quickly and efficiently. Because the answer is documented , there is less confusion and this saves the patient time and anxiety ! This is far more efficient than asking questions face to face, or with a phone call !

Taking time to educate yourself has lots of advantages. The doctor does not need to waste time going over the basics ; and because he knows you've done your homework, it helps him to have a more high level discussion with you . Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease !

This is a guest post from Aditya Patkar, Marketing Director, Plus91.

I met a doctor socially the other day, and we had a very interesting conversation about his practice. He has published a website with the help of Plus91 Technology’s Website For Doctor's initiative , and we were discussing the merits of a doctor using the Internet for reaching out to patients.

His first worry was: doesn't this amount to advertising? Because a website is personal digital real estate, he felt this was fine, but was very uncomfortable about using social media to reach out, because he felt this was unethical. I agree that flagrantly advertising and singing praises about yourself may be unethical, but not informing people about your services is also downright unethical ! Imagine a poor patient with a brain tumour who is forced to travel miles in order to talk to a good neurologist , just because the neurologist in his neighborhood doesn't bother to let anyone know about what he does!
Doctors in India are in short supply – don’t they have a responsibility and duty to let people know about their expertise, so that it can be used more efficiently ?

We then started talking about how his website has made a difference to his practice.

a. He now could interact with his patient via the site

b. He could easily give directions to his clinics and his timings by directing people to the site , which had all the information patients needed, including a google map. This saved his patients a lot of time and energy – and his staff did not have to keep on repeating the same directions to all his new patients !

c. The website did convey that he is a serious up-to-date professional, and his patients appreciates this.

Did it get him new patients? The ability of a website to do this depends directly on the web traffic coming to the site, and because his site was fairly new, the numbers were still small, so it was hard to say if this has had a significant impact. If he promotes his website effectively, it is common sense that it is bound to help him attract new patients ! It’s always hard to judge the return on investment ( ROI) on a website , since it takes time for a website to grow ! It needs to be nurtured carefully – and doctors who do this will find this a very cost effective option ! Even one new patient can help him to recover the cost of a year’s hosting ! However, he is reluctant to spend the money to promote his website ( using a search engine optimisation – SEO - firm) , so it’s possible that his website may not help him to grow his practice, making this a self-fulfilling prophecy !

His skepticism arose from the fact that in his experience, when patients search for a doctor, they usually ask a friend or a family member for a recommendation or a referral. Patients may do research online to find out more about the doctor, but not many patients in India today use the internet as a tool to find a doctor. , However , as time goes by, this is likely to change quickly, because many people change cities when they switch jobs; and few have a family physician they can trust. It’s becoming increasingly common for urban Indian patients to use the internet to select a medical specialist to help them get the best medical care.

Social media has a very important role to play, because it is the digital version of “word of mouth” marketing. Let’s take a doctor who specializes in arthroscopic knee surgery. If all his colleagues on twitter, facebook and orkut feeds know about this, they can create a lot of buzz for him. Anytime someone asks these people about knee surgery , they will be sure to say, “Hey , why don't you go in for mini incision surgery and avoid the big scar ? I know a guy who does this and his website is …..”. Here your website becomes a tool which allows others to refer their friends to you easily. If you have videos on your website displaying your surgical skills, as well as patient testimonials, this allows you to build your prospective patient’s confidence in your expertise, and helps to enhance your credibility !

I feel many Indian NGOs are doing some great work. Unfortunately, they are often strapped for cash because very few people know about their activities. This is why they are often not able to scale up their activities and they remain small, with limited impact.

There are many large-hearted Indians out there who would be happy to provide money to deserving NGOs. However, how do they find out about these ? And which ones are worth funding ?

NGOs need higher visibility and the best way to acquire this is through the internet. As a pilot project, I am going to award free websites to 10 suitable NGOs; and hope that this will help them to get additional visibility, so they can leverage their efforts.

If you run an NGO, or know of one, who you feel will benefit from having a web presence, please ask the Head of the NGO to send me an email.

I need to know basic stuff such as - What does your NGO do ? how do you plan to grow ? How will you make use of your website ?

We will pay a technology company to provide you with a comprehensive website which you will be able to update and run yourself.

Today, very few Indian doctors have their own website and I find this quite surprising ! Indians are meant to be leaders in IT, and Indian doctors are usually quite smart and entrepreneurial! Let's look at some of the reasons as to why the internet presence for Indian doctors is so low.

Why do most Indian doctors not see any value in having their own website ?

* I have practised successfully for many years without one, so why should I bother ? * Why should I take the trouble of having a website when most of my colleagues
don't have one either ?
* It's an unnecessary expense and will not add any value to my practise
* Isn't it unethical ? Isn't it the same as advertising ?
* It may be fine for some fancy doctors, but most of my patients do not use the computer, so why should I bother about a website ?
* I do not understand all this high tech computer business and email, so I'd rather not get involved in something which is beyond me.

I feel this is a big mistake.

Most successful doctors in India today do have their own websites . This is especially true for high end high profile medical services, such as IVF , cosmetic surgery and dentistry.

Websites serve many useful purposes.

* They are an important way of acquiring new patients. These patients are usually the best kind of patients to have because they are well-off and can afford to pay. Even more importantly, you do not have to pay a referral fee or kickback to the referring doctor !
* A website is very cost effective. If you are a cardiac surgeon and your website gets you even one more additional new patient, you have recovered the cost of your site !
* It's a great way of providing additional services to your patients. You can educate them; offer them a personal health record ( PHR); and send them reminders when their followup visits are due, by SMS and email
* Today, even if most patients do not have a PC, practically all of them have a mobile ! It's possible to reach out to them through their mobile using your website !

Times are changing - and those doctors who get left behind will have a very hard time catching up !

This is a guest post from Aditya Patkar, from Plus91.

Website for Doctors went live in January 2010. It's been about 5 months since then and the progress has been fabulous. The experience has been wonderful as a lot of doctors and observers commended us on the initiative, and the quality of work done.

What have we learned so far ?

1. Many doctors initially show interest in getting a website, but very few actually sign up . This is not due to the cost , but mainly due to the work involved on their side. Some cannot not find the time or are just plain lazy to send in the information for the site. ( For many it's simple ignorance - I think they still do not realise the value a website can add to their practise and how it can help them to boost their profitability and improve their patient care services ). Also , some think of it like a tattoo which once up might define them , which is why they are afraid to put it up unless it’s absolutely perfect !

We try to encourage doctors to participate by following up on a regular basis. Emails, SMS, phone calls - the avenues are many, and the idea is to keep their interest and initiative alive ! Many have come back to us after 2 or 3 months and gone through with the website.

2. Doctors come in many different models ! We have the very enthusiastic kind, who send lots of data and information and follow up each day. They are fun to work with, but can take away some of the productivity by constantly micromanaging. We have the uninterested kind, who seem to have decided to make the website as an afterthought and have to be followed up constantly to send data and take decisions. For them the site takes a very long time to get done. Other doctors understand the value of a website and want one, but are too busy to make decisions and send in their inputs Lastly, we have the doctors who send information on time, take decisions quickly and appreciate the effort - but just like good scotch , these are rare !

3. What do doctors want ?

a. The ability to change a selected template with some of their own images.
b. The option to display their hospital attachments and timings on the home page.
Unfortunately , they are quite reluctant to provide more details on the specialized treatments they provide (personal insight: I think they don’t really want to write - it's too much trouble and require a lot of effort ). This is shame, because this is unique content which is likely to help them attract lots of patients !
c. They love to put up images (a good thing!)
d. They need help in deciding a URL, some choose very complicated ones , because they try to fit in all that they do in it. This can be counterproductive.

4. What are the bottlenecks we encounter ?

a. Information flow: Doctors don’t send required data on time or they take too long to make decisions , thus needlessly delaying the process. This ideally can be completed in less than 2 days for a basic site.
b. Sending incorrect information is also a major problem ! Either it has to be sent back, or time is wasted on correcting it
c. Payments: Generally we do not publish the site unless the complete payment is made, hence when doctors’ delay payments we hold the work back or do not make the site live. This is rare , but it does happen.
d. Asking for too many minor changes : Some doctors are over critical of their site because they are perfectionists. This can delay going live , and this delay can be very counterproductive. It makes much more sense to get it ready, put it up - and then improve it incrementally over time as a result of the feedback received. After all, a website is a live organism, which grows with love and care !

So if any of you doctors do want a website, go to www.websitefordoctors.in and send us a request. It takes 3 simple steps and 4 days to have your site up and running if you follow the guidelines suggested above. The more the number of doctors who are aware of this avenue , the more they will promote it amongst their community. You have 3 flexible plans to choose from in terms of cost, complexity and features, so take a decision and take the plunge ! The worst decision is not to have a website !

Some stats from our site: we receive about 2 website request a day! We have completed over 30 live sites and 15 micro-sites. For some of the more relevant key words , we are already on the first page of google ! And as for our work check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAxQ9aW4MzA

What of the future?

• A do it yourself content manager ( CMS), which will let you add information yourself to your site
• Integration with Plus91 EMR solutions for Online EMR access and pre-visit information capture from patient
• New cool templates on more specialties
• New content which can now be sourced by you on various topics for the site, so you do not need to create your own !
The option to include patient education videos from PEAS

This is a guest post from Mr Aditya Patkar, Sales Director, Plus91, in which I am an angel investor.

A doctor today has many opportunities to reach out and touch his patients. Clever technology can help him do so very easily and inexpensively – but many doctors do not take advantage of these simple tools ! Why should you bother ? For one , it makes you popular amongst patients – and will help you become even busier ! Patients will rave about doctors who take the time and trouble to contact them – and this will help you to stand out ! Doing so will also help to educate other patients, who will be happy to offer you their blessings because you have shared your wisdom with them. Finally, contributing to the knowledgebase of the community improves the community you are a part of – and help you become a respected leader in your community !

So what do you need to do?

1. Reach out to many people as possible. The internet lets you update and express your views, either as 160 character bursts on twitter, or as a long thoughtful post on your blog , detailing your experience.

Twitter: On twitter you can start putting up bursts of interesting cases you see, new techniques you hear about, and information about your local medical network which may help people in your area! Go onto www.twitter.com, register yourself and type away.

Blogging: If you are doing research which you think people should hear about, blog about it ! Many people will find it online as they search for information about their problem , and they will be happy to treat you as a trusted authority if you provide this information on your blog. Go to www.blogger.com and start your own blog !

2. Allow people to contact you: Step one is to get a website. It helps you disseminate information about your services for patients looking for the same. This is not advertising, it’s offering a service to patients who need information and education about their medical problems and treatment options. Patients face many choices and are hampered by a lack of reliable information. On your website, please don’t only talk about yourself ! Rather, tell patients more about what diseases and disabilities you treat, what are the latest treatments, and maybe even offer them a second opinion to help them get the best possible treatment ( even if they do not come to you !)

One of Plus91's missions is that every Indian doctor should have their own website ! Check out what we offer at www.websitefordoctors.in. We will hold your hand and guide you through the entire process to maximize the impact on your patients .

3. Using Software: Modern EMR ( electronic medical software) comes with integrated communications tools which allow you to painlessly and seamlessly contact your patients, either through email or SMSes !

Plus91’s EMR packages allow you to send SMSes to sendalerts, appointment reminders and prescription reminders to your patients !This is a new level of service, and patients will be thrilled to know that you provided automated intelligent alerts to help them get the best medical care ! You can see our products on www.plus91online.com


These are just some pointers on how technology can help you to to interact with your patients – without spending much time or money ! Leverage your time and expertise using modern technology – Plus91 will be happy to help you to do so, so you can delight your patients !

The source of patient referrals for most doctors has been other doctors. This is often a very cozy system, especially amongst doctors who practise in a hospital setting, who will often refer patients to one another.

For us , however, our major source of patient referrals is other patients - and our website ! I prefer this , for many reasons !

Firstly, I do not need to give any kickback or commission to the referring doctor. I am answerable only to my patients, which means I can focus on doing what is in the patient's best interests.

Also, website referrals automatically select for the type of patient we prefer treating - intelligent, curious, well-informed and well-read patients , who take an active interest in their treatment and want to be treated as intelligent partners. These internet positive patients are aware, do their own homework and do not blindly follow a doctor's orders. Not only is it much more fun to treat such patients, it's also a lot easier, because they have realistic expectations from the treatment and are appreciative of the hard work we put in to help them to have a baby ! Even better, because they are inquisitive , they often teach me a lot , based on their own research and experience - I can have intelligent conversations with them, which keeps me on my toes ! I feel it's important that the doctor-patient chemistry be right, and this kind of patient meshes very well with our philosophy of patient empowerment.