UPDATED: Dr. Phil & Doctor on Demand: 25% of Americans consult Google before Making Appointments
Updated: 5/26/2014 According to MedCity News 1 in 4 Americans now consult Google before booking an appointment with a doctor. Physicians not working on building their brand (non-hospital employee physicians) will in the future have to align with national services to promote their practice.
2/12/2014 As a healthcare consultant, I make recommendations all the time in order to try and help drive the cost down for patients. When high cost deductibles (of which some stats show less than 3% of insured patients meet annual deductibles), and the average deductible is $3,500-$5,000 for a family, it’s nice to know there are alternatives out there. If a new app allows people to work around their deductible and still receive quaility healthcare-it’s a win for everyone. Dr. Phil’s son, Jay, is a founder of a medical startup, Doctor on Demand, and Dr. Phil is an investor.
Should Dr. Phil have made a full disclosure statement when promoting his son’s app on his show? Sure, but it doesn’t negate the fact that peopel are trying to think outside the box and offer solutions for the many of millions of uninsured and those not meeting their deductible. And Doctor on Demand is potentially one of those solutions. I’m not a doctor but have worked in the healthcare startup industry and actually don’t disagree, with Dr. Phil, that you don’t always have to ‘see’ a doctor. I don’t think this app. will ever replace seeing a doctor but it’s a nice adjunct.
For other alternatives to combat the high cost of healthcare with full transparency, MDSave, another site that will change the landscape of medicine in a postive from both providers and patients.
If you or your practice would like to learn more about insulating your practice, increasing new patient flow and other ethical ways to grow your profitability please contact me at Melayna@mmpiher.com
Disclosure: I consulted for MDSave (contracted ended). I was still consulting (gentlemen’s agreement) for use of my contacts regarding media in exchange for options (Story on NBC Phoenix by Chris Hrapsky aired July 2013) and for a national spot but due lack of transparency, omission of facts and breach of personal ethics no longer personally support MDSave and have received no further compensation.