Twitter Isn't For Docs

The value and power of Twitter is unappreciated by most people, especially doctors. There are several reasons why Twitter isn’t for docs. I am not saying that Twitter has no value for doctors, it just doesn’t appeal to us. Twitter is simply too hard for us to enjoy.

Twitter is new technology. Doctors don’t like new technology. In fact, not only do we ignore new ideas, we go out of our way to find faults and discount something new. We don’t embrace something new unless some other schmuck has endorsed it first. We are skeptics.

We usually don’t jump on the band wagon and if we do, we are last. Think of your decision about EMR/EHR. I bet you can list more reasons not to embrace it versus reasons to implement it your own practice.

We hate change. Twitter is new; social media is new. We don’t understand it, so we won’t embrace it

Twitter requires connectivity whether it’s a computer or smartphone. Even if you are a social media hound and “get it,” Twitter just doesn’t fit our job description. Most of us are constantly moving around the clinic/hospital making it physically impossible to use a computer or phone. On top of that, as the Twitterverse is engaged with each other online, we are on engaged face-to-face with patients.

It doesn’t fit our lifestyle. We don’t have the time to sit in front of a computer.

Twitter is exactly why most doctors don’t use the Internet. It demands that we become engaged and are proactive. It requires us to contribute. Most of us can’t even maintain a Web page, much less leave a comment on a Web site or blog. (I’ve received two comments on this blog in almost a year...maybe no one’s reading?)

We are readers and we are passive.

By the way, Twitter does have a lot of power and value for docs, as pointed out last week by Keith Martin. For all the reasons above, enlist the help of your staff to get the ball rolling. Empower that person that shares the same passion for your practice as you, but has the time and ability to engage social media.