When specialty providers observe that “My patients often don’t do what I tell them,” they are usually describing an issue of engagement. Patients obviously want to be healthy, or they wouldn’t make appointments in the first place. But when appointments are difficult to secure or aren’t kept—and when a kept appointment is the only time the patient connects with the specialty practice—there is an opportunity to increase patient engagement by leveraging technologies for patient access.

When consumers make virtually any purchase, the final choice is most often driven by price. They’ll also want quality, suitability for purpose, etc., but once those criteria are satisfied, price can determine where the purchase is made. This has not traditionally been the case with health care.

Plastic surgery physicians understand the importance of embracing technology — in the treatments and procedures they perform, and also in running their practices. Using outdated technologies can reduce their productivity, increase costs and worse yet, negatively impact the patient experience, which is the foundation of any successful plastic surgery practice.

The rise in drug overdose deaths since the turn of the century has captured the attention of government agencies and lawmakers alike. The greater availability of opioids has been accompanied by increases in their abuse and unintended death. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the number of overdose deaths from prescription pain relievers has more than quadrupled since 1999.

Mobile devices permeate the healthcare setting. They’re not just in the hands of patients, either. Roughly eight in 10 doctors use them in their practice. Many providers have turned to mobile devices for their ease of use, portability and help with many key aspects of their day-to-day work, particularly with respect to managing the patient-provider relationship.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Results from Medscape Education’s two-year study on generational factors and their impact on patient engagement reveals that providers need to help equip patients across generations with the skill set for shared decision-making concerning their health. Each generation has its own set of values, communication style and expectations about their approach to health and relationships with their providers. Therefore, specialty providers must first understand the different expectations and unique needs of their multigenerational patients in order to deliver the right information and support needed to fully participate in their care.

For specialty providers, especially those practices who rely on referrals from other doctors, maintaining an online presence may not be at the top of the priority list. But just like any other business, it is imperative that specialty medical practices make an effort to be online. Naturally, the next question is how do you go about solidifying our practice's online presence? Here are three ways to accomplish just that.