Survey Shows Drs. Prefer Net For Business - Vs. Patient Use
If you're trying to polish up on your online communications skills in the healthcare and physicians arena, it's more than likely that you'll be using the Internet more for business-to-business communications than for professional-to-patient communications, according to a new study by Find/SVP.
The probe, the 1997 American Interactive Healthcare Professionals Survey, found that while 57 percent of doctors view the Internet as a valuable communications tool in reaching their peers, only 34 percent see its benefit in reaching patients.
Most doctors said they believe the Internet enhances their access to practice-related information, but fewer felt the Internet provides value-added medical information for patients.
Overall, 43 percent of physicians reported that they use the Internet for professional purposes, at home or at work. (Find/SVP, 212/807-2603)
PAC Release New Book; Test Follows on Page 7 of PRN
The Washington, D.C.-based Public Affairs Council, in cooperation with Dr. Craig Fleisher, associate professor of business policy and law at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, has published its latest handbook on public affairs management, "Assessing, Managing and Maximizing Public Affairs Performance." The book is $125 for members ($132.19 in D.C.) and $250 for non-members ($264.38 in D.C.).
The 428-page book is designed to be both a how-to guide and an in-depth examination of how public affairs managers can improve their units' performances - with tips on what they can do to bring that about.
Containing original research and case studies, the book also includes worksheets and templates to apply techniques that are suggested.
The handbook also explores dozens of industry trends and provides research and data on them. Included are results from the Foundation for Public Affairs' "State of Corporate Public Affairs Survey."
In the survey (and the book as well), companies identified which performance measurement tools/techniques they used. Responses include:
- Results vs. Objectives - 70.5 percent;
- Internal Customer Surveys - 53 percent;
- Benchmarking - 48.5 percent;
- Quantification - 47.7 percent; and
- External Attitude Surveys - 29.2 percent.
Another section of the book delves into the performance of measurement-managed companies. A survey by Wm. Schiemann & Associates indicates that measurement-managed companies are more likely than non-measurement managed companies to:
- Be in the top third of their industries financially (74 vs. 44 percent);
- Complete their last major organizational change successfully (97 vs. 55 percent);
- Reach clear agreement on strategy among senior management (90 vs. 47 percent); and
- Undertake greater self-monitoring of performance by employees (42 vs. 16 percent).
Among the case studies offered are DuPont's "Strategic Community Relations," Honeywell's "Improving the Grassroots" and Bell Canada's "Building the Enterprise Model of Communications." (PAC, 202/872-1790)