In these tough times for every industry, healthcare continues to add jobs. And while these numbers may suggest that healthcare is “recession proof” the facts reveal this may not be the case. Despite continued job creation in the healthcare industry, the bad news continues to mount – massive layoffs at pharmaceutical companies, multiple hospital closings, health plans struggling, etc. And with the uncertainty surrounding the impact of new legislation, many healthcare providers are fearful for their futures.

These are unsettling times for every industry, but the overall outlook for healthcare is still positive. You already know the reasons for the projected growth – aging baby boomers, technological advances, longer life spans, even healthcare reform. These long-term forces will continue to drive job growth in the industry, but it doesn’t mean physicians aren’t worried about the impact that the recession and other circumstances may have on future earnings.

Around the cialis vs generic cialis country, patients are facing financial hardships affecting their ability to seek medical care. According to a recent MDsearch Income Survey, 61% of physician respondents have seen a decrease in patient traffic, and 64% have seen a decrease in elective procedures. The downturn isn’t surprising because for most patients, job loss is accompanied by the loss of health insurance, and even those who still have coverage are facing rising co-pays. The recession is causing a shift in patients’ priorities, and money now seems better spent prescription cialis online on gas and groceries than anything less than emergency medical services.

While most physicians are not worried about losing their employment, they are concerned about the drop in patient visits and what that means for their income. Nearly half (47%) of the MDsearch survey respondents earned less in 2008 than they did in 2007, and 57% projected that they would earn less in 2009 than they did in 2007.

Can Social Media Save the Day?

Physicians of all specialties are concerned about their incomes, and many are taking matters into their own hands. In an effort to promote themselves and their practice or facility, physicians are using free online mediums like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to engage with current patients and reach out to new ones. One of the most popular physician bloggers, Dr. Kevin Pho, author of KevinMD, has this to say about why doctors and nurses should engage in social media:

“It’s to a health professional’s benefit to have some sort of online presence. Not only to engage and provoke discussion, but also to make them pro-active in the information associated with them when their name is Googled.

More patients will be searching for doctors and hospitals via search engines, and being active in blogs, Facebook and Twitter allows you to define your online reputation. Going forward, this will be one of the more important reasons why doctors, nurses, and medical institutions should have a robust social media presence.”

But physicians aren’t acting Kamagra Gold alone. According to a recent article in the Jackson & Coker Industry Report, at least 367 hospitals have created accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and/or You Tube, and a number of hospitals have blogs authored by their CEOs in an effort to personalize their message.

The overwhelming popularity of social media has certainly not gone unnoticed by the healthcare profession. Physicians are just beginning to explore how these new tools can help them create an online presence. Healthcare may not be totally “recession proof,” but with the help of tools like Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and blogs, healthcare providers and facilities have new ways to engage with consumers and foster growth in the industry.

Author Bio: Robyn Melhuish is the Communications Manager at Healthcare Job Boards. The HJB portfolio of premier job boards includes niche sites for physician jobs, therapist jobs, nursing jobs, medical sales jobs, and medical mission opportunities.

Category: Marketing
Keywords: physician careers, physician jobs, physicians and social media