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Article
Ignoring Facebook as a potential practice tool could leave derms socially stranded
Medina, Ohio, dermatologist Helen M. Torok, M.D., says her busy practice could spend $3,000 to $5,000 every quarter on a printed and snail-mailed patient newsletter. Instead, creating a business page on Facebook eliminated that expense and allows her to offer patients more timely information.
Key Points
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dermatologists who have integrated Facebook into their practices say the widely used social networking platform allows them to communicate news and promotional information quickly, easily, and at virtually no cost. In this issue, we look at experts' recommendations on how to start building your own digital presence - even if you're a novice.
"We post our activities: our new hires, our new doctors ... what we have coming in the next week, two weeks. So we're constantly posting new information," she says. "It's a really up-to-date, current newsletter for us."
"I don't see a downside," she says. "Patients will come in and tell us what they saw on our Facebook page."
Doctors who use the popular social networking platform to market their practices and connect with patients say the benefits far outweigh the minimal investment in time and effort.
Versatile Facebook allows the posting of updates about the practice, medical news, upcoming seminars, promotions and anything else. Pages also can incorporate photos of the office, the staff and special events.
Dr. Torok's Trillium Creek Dermatology and Surgery page even includes links to YouTube videos describing the expansion of her services at a new location.
