Web Technology and Private Physiotherapy Practice

In private practice we can make the most of new and free Web technology for many tasks some of which might be particularly useful if we are managing a number of clinics in different locations.  Listed below are some examples for which you, as a private clinic manager, might want to consider using specific Internet applications:

• Communication with clients with a social media strategy using tools such as blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook
• Public and customer relations by ‘listening’ to the social media talk using RSS aggregators and responding directly back in the same social media application
• Sharing information with clients such as patient guides using a clinic wiki
• Remote follow up with clients using email and IM chat such as Skype or Google Talk
• Communication between staff using IM chat
• Synchronise schedules with on-line calenders such as Google calender
• Distribute training information using your clinic wiki or with a learning management system such as Moodle
• Standardise reports/policies/protocols by collaborative writing of documents using Google docs
• Collect and share research in Zotero or Mendely
• Facilitate training by tasking staff with CPD and in-service training tasks in a professional wiki such as Physiopedia
• Peer review using blogging
• CPD and CE recording using an online portfolio tool such as Mahara

Can you think of any more examples……?

In association with Webducate I work with private physiotherapy and other health care business’s to advice them on appropriate use of new technology for their digital strategy.  However, to be certain that the implementation of new technology is effective and efficient there are certain steps that need to be taken one at a time, these include:

1. You will need a good website that you can edit and manage yourself and is search engine optimised
2. You should develop and implement a social media strategy
3. Take paperwork such as policies, protocols, patient guides etc on-line
4. Develop and implement a digital strategy for staff communication and training

I will cover these topics more in my next posts….

Related posts:

1. Physiotherapy Websites, Search Engine Optimisation and Social Media Strategy
2. Web technology, autonomous learning and professional development in physiotherapy
3. Web Technology and Physiotherapy – The Next Series
4. Technology and Physiotherapy
5. Web technology for providers of CPD and CE for physiotherapy