What Dead Lions Can Teach You about Your Practice’s Reputation

The recent media reports about lions that were killed by a Minnesota dentist as well as by a Pennsylvania oncologist made me concerned about the overall perception of the medical field.  Do not misunderstand me, I am NOT opposed to hunting in general.  However, big game hunting really tears at the public’s heart because people idolize the animals they see at the zoo.

That being said, the focus of this blog is about your practice’s reputation outside of the office.  The practices of these two practitioners are going to suffer from the adverse media coverage of their extracurricular activities. They already have begun to suffer. Take one look at the dentist’s Yelp page if you don’t believe me. In this age of social media and cell phone cameras, it is important to take care of your practice outside of the office.

Any hit to your personal reputation will affect your practice. Here are few guidelines that I consider important to maintaining your practice’s reputation:

1:  Talk with your staff members and providers.  It’s great if they want to socialize at the local restaurants and bars after work, however, advise them to change out of work clothes and scrubs, especially if your practice logo is present.

2:  Post with Discretion. Advise your staff to use discretion when posting photos to social media sites, especially if there is the possibility of these photos appearing on your practice’s social media page.

3:  Avoid Trouble with the Law. Discuss with all staff, but most especially the providers, about the risk and costs should they get a DUI or other legal actions due to intoxication.  For the providers, it could put their license at risk, not to mention exposing the practice to speculation by your patients.

4: Take action immediately. Should your practice undergo an embarrassing incident, take immediate action to help soften the impact.  Get legal counsel if it is a serious occurrence.  The action you take will depend on the nature of the event.

These are just a few ideas.  Please post your ideas in the comments section below or on Twitter, by tweeting @PhysiciansPractice.