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We recently held our first annual conference call with members of our editorial advisory board and it was a very productive discussion of issues and trends affecting health care and the massage therapy profession.
December 22, 2017 By Mari-Len De
Thank you to our board members – Beth Barberree, Mike Dixon, Donelda Gowan-Moody, Paul Kohlmeier, Scott Andrew and Jason White – for all your valuable inputs. Our cover story this issue covers the highlights from the discussion.
One of the topics I was hoping to discuss was trends on technology adoption, particularly by massage therapy professionals. When it comes to technology, health practitioners are generally slow to adopt the latest innovations that can potentially change the face of patient care. An analyst I recently spoke to from PricewaterhouseCoopers notes the relatively slower pace of technoloy adaption in health care may be due to stringent patient privacy legislation that those in health care must adhere to.
Talks about integrated technologies and electronic access to patient records conjure up nightmares of privacy breaches that can potentially occur. Just turn on the news or read up on the recent breaches in patient records, and you’ll get why there is such a concern in liberal adoption of innovative technologies.
Where technology can benefit RMTs, however, is in the area of digital marketing. It is no secret that today’s consumers generally go online to research products and services before making a purchasing decision – or booking an appointment, for that matter. Many health practitioners have already jumped on the bandwagon, employing marketing strategies that aim to increase their online presence.
RMTs have a good amount of knowledge on health and wellness waiting to be shared to a digital audience. Your website and social media platforms are effective vehicles for you to share this knowledge and build your profile as a subject matter expert.
Take a look at what content you’re providing to your followers online. Is your content compelling or valuable enough for your readers to share them with their own networks? If the answer is no, the new year would be a good time to reconsider your marketing plan and put some effort into building up your online presence.
Happy Holidays and see you in 2018!
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