Social media in healthcare is currently very popular. Almost every healthcare website advises you that you should be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and now Pinterest. Yet the only reason given for this is “because they are really popular and everyone is doing it.”

Do you need to listen to them though, why do doctors need social media?

1. There is no return on investment (ROI)

If you are a clinician and paid by your patient’s insurance company for the services you provide, how would social media help you. You would have to be posting something that would make more patients choose to see you and pay for your services.

2. Is it just one more thing to add to your already busy schedule

Most clinicians have an extremely busy workload and time is limited. Any social media consultant always recommends you do more than one site, they usually advise two or three at least.

From personal experience I can confirm that each site takes time to learn. Facebook is very different from Twitter or Pinterest, and each one of them takes up valuable time; time which most clinicians find hard to spare.

3. It’s a craze which will fade, it’s not worth it, unless of course

You have a lot of spare time, don’t care about money and it’s a hobby.

If you are the typical doctor with a typical medical practice, there is no need for social media, in fact the additional workload could worsen the amount of stress you are under and increase your workload.

Taking good care of your patients and spending time with your family instead are very good reasons to avoid social media all together.