The internet has become integral to the ways doctors practice medicine. In fact, our research shows that when making clinical decisions, physicians spend twice as much time using online resources than they do print. We took a deeper dive and discovered three things marketers can do to more effectively reach today's doctors: make sure you can be found through search, leverage the power of video and be sure to reach out to them on their smartphones and tablets.
Google partnered with Manhattan Research and fielded over 500 practicing physicians to understand their digital adoption across devices and media channels. Further, we wanted to learn whether their digital learnings impact their patient treatments. Here are some highlights from the study:
- Physicians perform an average of 6 professional searches a day.
- 68% of physicians are prompted to use a search engine because a patient seeks more information during a consult.
- 84% of physicians search on condition related keyword terms. Only 17% search on pharmaceutical manufacturer terms.
- One in three physicians click on sponsored listings.
