Web Content for Doctors

My father was a doctor for more than 35 years.  He never had a website or hired a freelance writer, but he also worked in a different era.  In the 70s and 80s, the Internet was not widely used by the general public, so his pediatrics practice was referral-based.   When he saw my portfolio of work, he said that a writer would have been able to help him build his practice.   He might have been biased, ;-)

Writers and physicians have something in common.  I’m paraphrasing here, but Harlan Ellison once wrote that if a writer or doctor makes a mistake, s/he can’t hide it.  Whether on the body or the page, a mistake is there for everyone to see.

Writers aren’t trained to perform surgery or diagnose illness, naturally, and doctors don’t usually have time to develop their own written content.  My Dad certainly didn’t!  But both professions require a lot of attention to detail.

If you’re a doctor, website content is a crucial tool to build your medical practice.  It’s also a simple way to let your community know about your background, specialties, and interests.   Print collateral, like brochures, is a freebie that reminds patients of your skills and services.  And a web blog (“blog”) is another easy method to educate potential patients.

Additionally, sites like Angie’s List and Yelp offer reviews of healthcare providers.  A doctor with her/his own web page can list a URL on those review sites,  providing an easy reference for people who want to know more about them.

I’m fortunate to have grown up with a physician as a father, because I spent a lot of time at his clinic.  My background enabled me to be an ideal writer for many physicians, whether I wrote  brochure copy and blog posts.

What I like best about writing website or print content for doctors, though, is that I’m continuing my father’s work in some small way.  I’m helping people.

What about you?  How has your background helped your business?