Jeffrey Benabio, MD

Tell me a story. Is there anyone who hasn’t uttered those four words? As humans we are hard wired to both tell and listen to stories. Indeed, professional storyteller Bill Harley, in a 2012 TEDx talk entitled, "Stories Out Loud," said that storytelling is "at the very center of what it means to be human."

This is why storytelling is a powerful marketing tool for you and your practice. In a noisy social media world, stories allow your voice to be heard.

Here are some reasons why you should be using storytelling to market your practice:

• A story is experiential – it shares an experience or observation.

• Stories help us make sense of our lives.

• They help you connect with your patients, build trust, and market your brand.

• They can capture your patients’ attention.

• They can inspire and appeal to emotions.

• Stories are easier to remember than facts and statistics.

• They feel authentic and help show the real you and real patients.

• Stories can be educational by putting difficult concepts into meaningful context.

• They can be an effective call to action for patients.

How powerful is storytelling? Do an Internet search of "patient stories," and the results will feature some of the country’s top hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Take some time visiting these sites. Watch a few videos and ask yourself what makes them effective.

When it comes to marketing your practice, you can tell stories in person to patients, on video, in blog posts, or even in images on sites like Pinterest. Although videos can be done by a professional videographer using ambient lighting and music, they don’t have to be. You might decide to videotape a procedure with your video camera or upload patient stories using your iPhone.

Before using a story, remember to respect patients’ privacy and to get their consent appropriately if they are identifiable in a story. Make sure your story is short, relevant, and compelling and leaves the consumer with a better understanding of the issue.

Do you use stories in your practice? Do you have tips for physicians on how to use stories effectively in their practice? Please share them.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

Tell me a story. Is there anyone who hasn’t uttered those four words? As humans we are hard wired to both tell and listen to stories. Indeed, professional storyteller Bill Harley, in a 2012 TEDx talk entitled, "Stories Out Loud," said that storytelling is "at the very center of what it means to be human."

This is why storytelling is a powerful marketing tool for you and your practice. In a noisy social media world, stories allow your voice to be heard.

Here are some reasons why you should be using storytelling to market your practice:

• A story is experiential – it shares an experience or observation.

• Stories help us make sense of our lives.

• They help you connect with your patients, build trust, and market your brand.

• They can capture your patients’ attention.

• They can inspire and appeal to emotions.

• Stories are easier to remember than facts and statistics.

• They feel authentic and help show the real you and real patients.

• Stories can be educational by putting difficult concepts into meaningful context.

• They can be an effective call to action for patients.

How powerful is storytelling? Do an Internet search of "patient stories," and the results will feature some of the country’s top hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Take some time visiting these sites. Watch a few videos and ask yourself what makes them effective.

When it comes to marketing your practice, you can tell stories in person to patients, on video, in blog posts, or even in images on sites like Pinterest. Although videos can be done by a professional videographer using ambient lighting and music, they don’t have to be. You might decide to videotape a procedure with your video camera or upload patient stories using your iPhone.

Before using a story, remember to respect patients’ privacy and to get their consent appropriately if they are identifiable in a story. Make sure your story is short, relevant, and compelling and leaves the consumer with a better understanding of the issue.

Do you use stories in your practice? Do you have tips for physicians on how to use stories effectively in their practice? Please share them.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

Tell me a story. Is there anyone who hasn’t uttered those four words? As humans we are hard wired to both tell and listen to stories. Indeed, professional storyteller Bill Harley, in a 2012 TEDx talk entitled, "Stories Out Loud," said that storytelling is "at the very center of what it means to be human."

This is why storytelling is a powerful marketing tool for you and your practice. In a noisy social media world, stories allow your voice to be heard.

Here are some reasons why you should be using storytelling to market your practice:

• A story is experiential – it shares an experience or observation.

• Stories help us make sense of our lives.

• They help you connect with your patients, build trust, and market your brand.

• They can capture your patients’ attention.

• They can inspire and appeal to emotions.

• Stories are easier to remember than facts and statistics.

• They feel authentic and help show the real you and real patients.

• Stories can be educational by putting difficult concepts into meaningful context.

• They can be an effective call to action for patients.

How powerful is storytelling? Do an Internet search of "patient stories," and the results will feature some of the country’s top hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Take some time visiting these sites. Watch a few videos and ask yourself what makes them effective.

When it comes to marketing your practice, you can tell stories in person to patients, on video, in blog posts, or even in images on sites like Pinterest. Although videos can be done by a professional videographer using ambient lighting and music, they don’t have to be. You might decide to videotape a procedure with your video camera or upload patient stories using your iPhone.

Before using a story, remember to respect patients’ privacy and to get their consent appropriately if they are identifiable in a story. Make sure your story is short, relevant, and compelling and leaves the consumer with a better understanding of the issue.

Do you use stories in your practice? Do you have tips for physicians on how to use stories effectively in their practice? Please share them.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

A new year holds so much potential. It’s often when we’re at our most ambitious and optimistic. A time when we’re more likely to try something new – learn a language, take up CrossFit, or, even, dive into the social media ocean.

In this column over the last year, I have written about many different social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Many physicians have e-mailed me asking, "Do I really need to be doing social media? Is it more than just a fad?" My answer was and still is, Yes!

The medical landscape is continually evolving, and social media continue to disrupt the traditional roles of doctor and patient. We now have "e-patients," "digital doctors," and doctor-rating sites; hospitals have Facebook pages, and surgeons are tweeting live surgery. Never has the field of medicine been so transparent.

Although I don’t have a crystal ball, I can assure you that social media are here to stay for a long time. So, if you’ve only dipped your toe in the social media waters so far, keep reading; you might find some inspiration to take the plunge in 2014:

• 90% of adults aged 18-24 said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks. Social media communications are simply word of mouth enhanced by technology. Instead of telling their immediate family about you at the dinner table, your patients now have the ability to tell hundreds or thousands of people about you on social media. Create compelling content, make it shareable, and you’ll help build positive word of mouth.

• Social media users are more likely to trust health-related content written by physicians than by any other group. There is a tremendous amount of health care information online, much of it inaccurate. That means content produced by you (for example, through Facebook updates, YouTube videos, and blog posts) is likely to be shared more frequently and to help build your brand as a trusted physician.

• 47% of patients share their medical information online with doctors, and 43% do so with hospitals.

• 77% of patients used search engines prior to booking their medical appointment. If you’re not online, patients won’t find you.

• 41% of patients said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. Online word of mouth has an impact on you and your practice.

• 58% of health care marketers use blogs vs. 74% of all marketers. Maintaining a blog helps you build brand loyalty and gives you a competitive edge against physicians who aren’t online.

• YouTube traffic to hospital websites has increased 119% year to year. Because they’re visual, videos tend to be more memorable for social media users. Whether videos are used to share poignant patient stories, educate patients about specific diseases and treatments, or show how a clinical procedure is performed, they allow you to connect more intimately with patients and prospective patients, and put a human face on your practice.

• Parents are more likely to seek medical information online. Data show that 22% of parents use Facebook vs. 14% of nonparents, and 20% of parents use YouTube vs. 12% of nonparents. Parents want online information they can trust; that means information created by you.

• 51% of patients said they would feel more valued if their health care provider communicated with them digitally. This means exploring other modes of communication such as e-mail, newsletters, blog posts, and Facebook updates.

• 60% of physicians surveyed said social media improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. From physician online communities to Google hangouts, physicians are learning from one another, and often from patients, making them better clinicians.

Sources include DC Interactive Group, Demi and Cooper Advertising, Media Bistro, PWC Health Research Institute, and TeleVox.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

A new year holds so much potential. It’s often when we’re at our most ambitious and optimistic. A time when we’re more likely to try something new – learn a language, take up CrossFit, or, even, dive into the social media ocean.

In this column over the last year, I have written about many different social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Many physicians have e-mailed me asking, "Do I really need to be doing social media? Is it more than just a fad?" My answer was and still is, Yes!

The medical landscape is continually evolving, and social media continue to disrupt the traditional roles of doctor and patient. We now have "e-patients," "digital doctors," and doctor-rating sites; hospitals have Facebook pages, and surgeons are tweeting live surgery. Never has the field of medicine been so transparent.

Although I don’t have a crystal ball, I can assure you that social media are here to stay for a long time. So, if you’ve only dipped your toe in the social media waters so far, keep reading; you might find some inspiration to take the plunge in 2014:

• 90% of adults aged 18-24 said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks. Social media communications are simply word of mouth enhanced by technology. Instead of telling their immediate family about you at the dinner table, your patients now have the ability to tell hundreds or thousands of people about you on social media. Create compelling content, make it shareable, and you’ll help build positive word of mouth.

• Social media users are more likely to trust health-related content written by physicians than by any other group. There is a tremendous amount of health care information online, much of it inaccurate. That means content produced by you (for example, through Facebook updates, YouTube videos, and blog posts) is likely to be shared more frequently and to help build your brand as a trusted physician.

• 47% of patients share their medical information online with doctors, and 43% do so with hospitals.

• 77% of patients used search engines prior to booking their medical appointment. If you’re not online, patients won’t find you.

• 41% of patients said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. Online word of mouth has an impact on you and your practice.

• 58% of health care marketers use blogs vs. 74% of all marketers. Maintaining a blog helps you build brand loyalty and gives you a competitive edge against physicians who aren’t online.

• YouTube traffic to hospital websites has increased 119% year to year. Because they’re visual, videos tend to be more memorable for social media users. Whether videos are used to share poignant patient stories, educate patients about specific diseases and treatments, or show how a clinical procedure is performed, they allow you to connect more intimately with patients and prospective patients, and put a human face on your practice.

• Parents are more likely to seek medical information online. Data show that 22% of parents use Facebook vs. 14% of nonparents, and 20% of parents use YouTube vs. 12% of nonparents. Parents want online information they can trust; that means information created by you.

• 51% of patients said they would feel more valued if their health care provider communicated with them digitally. This means exploring other modes of communication such as e-mail, newsletters, blog posts, and Facebook updates.

• 60% of physicians surveyed said social media improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. From physician online communities to Google hangouts, physicians are learning from one another, and often from patients, making them better clinicians.

Sources include DC Interactive Group, Demi and Cooper Advertising, Media Bistro, PWC Health Research Institute, and TeleVox.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

A new year holds so much potential. It’s often when we’re at our most ambitious and optimistic. A time when we’re more likely to try something new – learn a language, take up CrossFit, or, even, dive into the social media ocean.

In this column over the last year, I have written about many different social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. Many physicians have e-mailed me asking, "Do I really need to be doing social media? Is it more than just a fad?" My answer was and still is, Yes!

The medical landscape is continually evolving, and social media continue to disrupt the traditional roles of doctor and patient. We now have "e-patients," "digital doctors," and doctor-rating sites; hospitals have Facebook pages, and surgeons are tweeting live surgery. Never has the field of medicine been so transparent.

Although I don’t have a crystal ball, I can assure you that social media are here to stay for a long time. So, if you’ve only dipped your toe in the social media waters so far, keep reading; you might find some inspiration to take the plunge in 2014:

• 90% of adults aged 18-24 said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks. Social media communications are simply word of mouth enhanced by technology. Instead of telling their immediate family about you at the dinner table, your patients now have the ability to tell hundreds or thousands of people about you on social media. Create compelling content, make it shareable, and you’ll help build positive word of mouth.

• Social media users are more likely to trust health-related content written by physicians than by any other group. There is a tremendous amount of health care information online, much of it inaccurate. That means content produced by you (for example, through Facebook updates, YouTube videos, and blog posts) is likely to be shared more frequently and to help build your brand as a trusted physician.

• 47% of patients share their medical information online with doctors, and 43% do so with hospitals.

• 77% of patients used search engines prior to booking their medical appointment. If you’re not online, patients won’t find you.

• 41% of patients said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. Online word of mouth has an impact on you and your practice.

• 58% of health care marketers use blogs vs. 74% of all marketers. Maintaining a blog helps you build brand loyalty and gives you a competitive edge against physicians who aren’t online.

• YouTube traffic to hospital websites has increased 119% year to year. Because they’re visual, videos tend to be more memorable for social media users. Whether videos are used to share poignant patient stories, educate patients about specific diseases and treatments, or show how a clinical procedure is performed, they allow you to connect more intimately with patients and prospective patients, and put a human face on your practice.

• Parents are more likely to seek medical information online. Data show that 22% of parents use Facebook vs. 14% of nonparents, and 20% of parents use YouTube vs. 12% of nonparents. Parents want online information they can trust; that means information created by you.

• 51% of patients said they would feel more valued if their health care provider communicated with them digitally. This means exploring other modes of communication such as e-mail, newsletters, blog posts, and Facebook updates.

• 60% of physicians surveyed said social media improve the quality of care delivered to their patients. From physician online communities to Google hangouts, physicians are learning from one another, and often from patients, making them better clinicians.

Sources include DC Interactive Group, Demi and Cooper Advertising, Media Bistro, PWC Health Research Institute, and TeleVox.

Dr. Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of health care transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

Although many physicians would like to "prescribe" health apps to their patients, it can be a daunting endeavor. The exact number of medical and wellness apps currently available is unknown – I’ve seen numbers range from 40,000 to 97,000. Even the most astute physician will have difficulty navigating this ocean of options.

Fortunately, there are sites that do the legwork for us, including wellocracy.com, imedicalapps.com, medicalappjournal.com, medgadget.com, and mashable.com.

The Food and Drug Administration divides health apps into two categories: medical apps and health and wellness apps. Medical apps are those that turn your mobile device into a medical device; for example, allowing users to take a picture of a mole or to record their blood pressure and send it to their physician. By contrast, health and wellness apps help patients maintain healthy lifestyles and often employ self-tracking, such as tracking activity levels and calories consumed. The most popular of this latter type include weight loss and fitness apps.

As health care providers, we have a responsibility to encourage our patients to be actively engaged in their health. Recommending health and wellness apps that help patients track their activity can be powerful tools for patient engagement since tracking allows users see data that inspire them to set and reach goals.

Below are seven health and wellness apps that earn top scores from users and reviewers alike:

• WebMD: WebMD’s app receives high ratings for its simple, clean interface. Users choose among "lifestyle topics" that interest them, such as "fitness and exercise" or "parenting and family." Other key features include a symptom checker; first-aid tips; a list of local doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies; and a pill ID feature that lets users identify prescription drugs and OTC meds by shape, color, and imprint. Cost: Free.

• MyFitnessPal: This app consistently receives high scores from users striving to lose weight. With scores of cardio and strength training exercises and more than 2 million food entries including restaurant meals and packaged foods in its database, it makes both tracking one’s daily activity and calorie counting simple. Cost: Free.

• Fitocracy: What makes this fitness app so wildly popular among users? Its social gaming component. Not only do users track their activity levels, but they also connect with and compete against others. Similar to a video game, users earn points and badges that help them "level up" and reinforce their adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Cost: Free.

• MyQuit Coach: Consistently ranked one the top quit smoking apps, MyQuitCoach personalizes strategies to help users kick the habit. Users can commit to either quitting immediately or reducing smoking over time. Cost: Free.

• Sleep Cycle: By providing easy-to-read graphs, this app helps analyze the user’s sleep patterns and wakes them up during the lightest sleep phase, the natural way to wake up. Cost: $1.99

• MediSafe:Physicians know firsthand the difficulty of getting patients to adhere to taking their prescription medications. This easy-to-use app helps by providing reminders to patients when they need to take their medication and by sharing information with a "Med-Friend," which can be a family member or caretaker. The app also alerts users when it’s time for a refill. Cost: Free

• iTriage: This app uses location-based technology to help users find the nearest hospital or urgent care center. It is ideal for travelers, as well as people new to a neighborhood. Perhaps its best feature is its ability to provide an estimated wait time. Cost: Free

Wellness apps do not provide cures for illnesses, but they can help patients improve their overall health by encouraging them to make smarter, healthier lifestyle choices. And that’s something any physician can support.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of healthcare transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

Although many physicians would like to "prescribe" health apps to their patients, it can be a daunting endeavor. The exact number of medical and wellness apps currently available is unknown – I’ve seen numbers range from 40,000 to 97,000. Even the most astute physician will have difficulty navigating this ocean of options.

Fortunately, there are sites that do the legwork for us, including wellocracy.com, imedicalapps.com, medicalappjournal.com, medgadget.com, and mashable.com.

The Food and Drug Administration divides health apps into two categories: medical apps and health and wellness apps. Medical apps are those that turn your mobile device into a medical device; for example, allowing users to take a picture of a mole or to record their blood pressure and send it to their physician. By contrast, health and wellness apps help patients maintain healthy lifestyles and often employ self-tracking, such as tracking activity levels and calories consumed. The most popular of this latter type include weight loss and fitness apps.

As health care providers, we have a responsibility to encourage our patients to be actively engaged in their health. Recommending health and wellness apps that help patients track their activity can be powerful tools for patient engagement since tracking allows users see data that inspire them to set and reach goals.

Below are seven health and wellness apps that earn top scores from users and reviewers alike:

• WebMD: WebMD’s app receives high ratings for its simple, clean interface. Users choose among "lifestyle topics" that interest them, such as "fitness and exercise" or "parenting and family." Other key features include a symptom checker; first-aid tips; a list of local doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies; and a pill ID feature that lets users identify prescription drugs and OTC meds by shape, color, and imprint. Cost: Free.

• MyFitnessPal: This app consistently receives high scores from users striving to lose weight. With scores of cardio and strength training exercises and more than 2 million food entries including restaurant meals and packaged foods in its database, it makes both tracking one’s daily activity and calorie counting simple. Cost: Free.

• Fitocracy: What makes this fitness app so wildly popular among users? Its social gaming component. Not only do users track their activity levels, but they also connect with and compete against others. Similar to a video game, users earn points and badges that help them "level up" and reinforce their adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Cost: Free.

• MyQuit Coach: Consistently ranked one the top quit smoking apps, MyQuitCoach personalizes strategies to help users kick the habit. Users can commit to either quitting immediately or reducing smoking over time. Cost: Free.

• Sleep Cycle: By providing easy-to-read graphs, this app helps analyze the user’s sleep patterns and wakes them up during the lightest sleep phase, the natural way to wake up. Cost: $1.99

• MediSafe:Physicians know firsthand the difficulty of getting patients to adhere to taking their prescription medications. This easy-to-use app helps by providing reminders to patients when they need to take their medication and by sharing information with a "Med-Friend," which can be a family member or caretaker. The app also alerts users when it’s time for a refill. Cost: Free

• iTriage: This app uses location-based technology to help users find the nearest hospital or urgent care center. It is ideal for travelers, as well as people new to a neighborhood. Perhaps its best feature is its ability to provide an estimated wait time. Cost: Free

Wellness apps do not provide cures for illnesses, but they can help patients improve their overall health by encouraging them to make smarter, healthier lifestyle choices. And that’s something any physician can support.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of healthcare transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

Although many physicians would like to "prescribe" health apps to their patients, it can be a daunting endeavor. The exact number of medical and wellness apps currently available is unknown – I’ve seen numbers range from 40,000 to 97,000. Even the most astute physician will have difficulty navigating this ocean of options.

Fortunately, there are sites that do the legwork for us, including wellocracy.com, imedicalapps.com, medicalappjournal.com, medgadget.com, and mashable.com.

The Food and Drug Administration divides health apps into two categories: medical apps and health and wellness apps. Medical apps are those that turn your mobile device into a medical device; for example, allowing users to take a picture of a mole or to record their blood pressure and send it to their physician. By contrast, health and wellness apps help patients maintain healthy lifestyles and often employ self-tracking, such as tracking activity levels and calories consumed. The most popular of this latter type include weight loss and fitness apps.

As health care providers, we have a responsibility to encourage our patients to be actively engaged in their health. Recommending health and wellness apps that help patients track their activity can be powerful tools for patient engagement since tracking allows users see data that inspire them to set and reach goals.

Below are seven health and wellness apps that earn top scores from users and reviewers alike:

• WebMD: WebMD’s app receives high ratings for its simple, clean interface. Users choose among "lifestyle topics" that interest them, such as "fitness and exercise" or "parenting and family." Other key features include a symptom checker; first-aid tips; a list of local doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies; and a pill ID feature that lets users identify prescription drugs and OTC meds by shape, color, and imprint. Cost: Free.

• MyFitnessPal: This app consistently receives high scores from users striving to lose weight. With scores of cardio and strength training exercises and more than 2 million food entries including restaurant meals and packaged foods in its database, it makes both tracking one’s daily activity and calorie counting simple. Cost: Free.

• Fitocracy: What makes this fitness app so wildly popular among users? Its social gaming component. Not only do users track their activity levels, but they also connect with and compete against others. Similar to a video game, users earn points and badges that help them "level up" and reinforce their adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Cost: Free.

• MyQuit Coach: Consistently ranked one the top quit smoking apps, MyQuitCoach personalizes strategies to help users kick the habit. Users can commit to either quitting immediately or reducing smoking over time. Cost: Free.

• Sleep Cycle: By providing easy-to-read graphs, this app helps analyze the user’s sleep patterns and wakes them up during the lightest sleep phase, the natural way to wake up. Cost: $1.99

• MediSafe:Physicians know firsthand the difficulty of getting patients to adhere to taking their prescription medications. This easy-to-use app helps by providing reminders to patients when they need to take their medication and by sharing information with a "Med-Friend," which can be a family member or caretaker. The app also alerts users when it’s time for a refill. Cost: Free

• iTriage: This app uses location-based technology to help users find the nearest hospital or urgent care center. It is ideal for travelers, as well as people new to a neighborhood. Perhaps its best feature is its ability to provide an estimated wait time. Cost: Free

Wellness apps do not provide cures for illnesses, but they can help patients improve their overall health by encouraging them to make smarter, healthier lifestyle choices. And that’s something any physician can support.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and physician director of healthcare transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

The doctors’ lounge: A hallowed space for sharing challenging cases and discussing the Affordable Care Act or a place to catch a nap and commiserate? It can (and likely should) be both. Unfortunately, doctors’ lounges are a thing of the past for many of today’s physicians. Whether you’re in private practice or work in a place that simply has no social space for physicians, it can be difficult to connect and share professional and personal information with colleagues.

Technology is offering a solution. In the last few years, physician-only online communities have burgeoned. Sermo, the largest of these communities, boasts more than 125,000 licensed physicians from more than 65 specialties as members. Other big players include Medscape Physician Connect and Doximity. Many smaller specialty-specific communities have surfaced as well, such as OrthoMind.com and MomMD.com, social networks exclusively for orthopedic surgeons and women in medicine (including nurses and residents), respectively.

Unlike open social forums such as Facebook and Twitter, these physician communities are closed social networks, which means that only credentialed members can join and participate. This exclusivity has been a large draw for physicians otherwise skeptical of using social networks. However, it’s worth noting that several sites allow access to other health care providers, including nurses, residents, and medical students.

Ideally, these close social networks exist to help physicians maximize benefits (collaborating and networking) and reduce risks (liability and online reputation). To allay concerns of risk, some sites, including Sermo and Medscape, allow confirmed physicians to choose an alias. On the upside, such anonymous posting allows for franker discussions; on the downside, it can lend itself to unprofessionalism, such as posting inappropriate or incendiary comments.

How many physicians are using these online physician communities? Between 25% and 28%, according to a 2011 study from QuantialMD, and a 2012 study from the Journal of Medical Internet Research. These numbers continue to grow.

If you’ve wondered whether to join a physician-only online community, here are six potential benefits:

• Curbside consults. These communities provide access to thousands of physicians, including specialists, which offers you a tremendous opportunity to get a curbside consult for that difficult patient. Often you can get both diagnostic and treatment suggestions quickly and cost free.

• Current event information. Missed a journal or a conference? These communities are great ways for you to stay informed. You can ask questions or simply follow conversations based on particular topics.

• Help with patient management. We’ve all had to work with difficult patients; the truth is some of us are better at it than others. These communities allow you to ask for advice (anonymously if you’re more comfortable with that) from other professionals who have navigated similar situations successfully and wish to help.

• The ability to share best practice information. Whether it’s a new medication or an office management solution, online communities are rich resources for sharing best practices. Many sites also allow you to poll fellow members, which yields personalized, instantaneous, real feedback.

• The ability to become a thought leader/expert. Whether you’re an established expert in your field or are building your reputation, these communities are effective vehicles for identifying people who stand out from the pack. Establishing yourself as a respected leader in a community can also lead to professional opportunities such as speaking invitations or other leadership roles.

• Networking. Sometimes we physicians forget that it’s beneficial to simply be social. These communities don’t always have to be about improving office efficiency or diagnosing difficult cases; sometimes they can simply be a place to hang out and connect with like-minded people. It’s not uncommon for online relationships to develop into real-life ones, such as connecting at a conference or collaborating on a volunteer project.

Remember, like any worthwhile network, these sites are only as valuable as your participation in them. And before posting questionable material, make sure it’s content that you would be comfortable sharing with a physician in person.

If you belong to a physician-only online community, please share your thoughts with us online, via the Skin & Allergy News Facebook page, or via e-mail (sknews@frontlinemedcom.com). What benefits or drawbacks have you encountered?

The next time you need advice on a challenging case or simply feel like connecting with colleagues, consider joining a physician online community. Just realize that there won’t be any hot coffee and donuts.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and Physician Director of Healthcare Transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

The doctors’ lounge: A hallowed space for sharing challenging cases and discussing the Affordable Care Act or a place to catch a nap and commiserate? It can (and likely should) be both. Unfortunately, doctors’ lounges are a thing of the past for many of today’s physicians. Whether you’re in private practice or work in a place that simply has no social space for physicians, it can be difficult to connect and share professional and personal information with colleagues.

Technology is offering a solution. In the last few years, physician-only online communities have burgeoned. Sermo, the largest of these communities, boasts more than 125,000 licensed physicians from more than 65 specialties as members. Other big players include Medscape Physician Connect and Doximity. Many smaller specialty-specific communities have surfaced as well, such as OrthoMind.com and MomMD.com, social networks exclusively for orthopedic surgeons and women in medicine (including nurses and residents), respectively.

Unlike open social forums such as Facebook and Twitter, these physician communities are closed social networks, which means that only credentialed members can join and participate. This exclusivity has been a large draw for physicians otherwise skeptical of using social networks. However, it’s worth noting that several sites allow access to other health care providers, including nurses, residents, and medical students.

Ideally, these close social networks exist to help physicians maximize benefits (collaborating and networking) and reduce risks (liability and online reputation). To allay concerns of risk, some sites, including Sermo and Medscape, allow confirmed physicians to choose an alias. On the upside, such anonymous posting allows for franker discussions; on the downside, it can lend itself to unprofessionalism, such as posting inappropriate or incendiary comments.

How many physicians are using these online physician communities? Between 25% and 28%, according to a 2011 study from QuantialMD, and a 2012 study from the Journal of Medical Internet Research. These numbers continue to grow.

If you’ve wondered whether to join a physician-only online community, here are six potential benefits:

• Curbside consults. These communities provide access to thousands of physicians, including specialists, which offers you a tremendous opportunity to get a curbside consult for that difficult patient. Often you can get both diagnostic and treatment suggestions quickly and cost free.

• Current event information. Missed a journal or a conference? These communities are great ways for you to stay informed. You can ask questions or simply follow conversations based on particular topics.

• Help with patient management. We’ve all had to work with difficult patients; the truth is some of us are better at it than others. These communities allow you to ask for advice (anonymously if you’re more comfortable with that) from other professionals who have navigated similar situations successfully and wish to help.

• The ability to share best practice information. Whether it’s a new medication or an office management solution, online communities are rich resources for sharing best practices. Many sites also allow you to poll fellow members, which yields personalized, instantaneous, real feedback.

• The ability to become a thought leader/expert. Whether you’re an established expert in your field or are building your reputation, these communities are effective vehicles for identifying people who stand out from the pack. Establishing yourself as a respected leader in a community can also lead to professional opportunities such as speaking invitations or other leadership roles.

• Networking. Sometimes we physicians forget that it’s beneficial to simply be social. These communities don’t always have to be about improving office efficiency or diagnosing difficult cases; sometimes they can simply be a place to hang out and connect with like-minded people. It’s not uncommon for online relationships to develop into real-life ones, such as connecting at a conference or collaborating on a volunteer project.

Remember, like any worthwhile network, these sites are only as valuable as your participation in them. And before posting questionable material, make sure it’s content that you would be comfortable sharing with a physician in person.

If you belong to a physician-only online community, please share your thoughts with us online, via the Skin & Allergy News Facebook page, or via e-mail (sknews@frontlinemedcom.com). What benefits or drawbacks have you encountered?

The next time you need advice on a challenging case or simply feel like connecting with colleagues, consider joining a physician online community. Just realize that there won’t be any hot coffee and donuts.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and Physician Director of Healthcare Transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

The doctors’ lounge: A hallowed space for sharing challenging cases and discussing the Affordable Care Act or a place to catch a nap and commiserate? It can (and likely should) be both. Unfortunately, doctors’ lounges are a thing of the past for many of today’s physicians. Whether you’re in private practice or work in a place that simply has no social space for physicians, it can be difficult to connect and share professional and personal information with colleagues.

Technology is offering a solution. In the last few years, physician-only online communities have burgeoned. Sermo, the largest of these communities, boasts more than 125,000 licensed physicians from more than 65 specialties as members. Other big players include Medscape Physician Connect and Doximity. Many smaller specialty-specific communities have surfaced as well, such as OrthoMind.com and MomMD.com, social networks exclusively for orthopedic surgeons and women in medicine (including nurses and residents), respectively.

Unlike open social forums such as Facebook and Twitter, these physician communities are closed social networks, which means that only credentialed members can join and participate. This exclusivity has been a large draw for physicians otherwise skeptical of using social networks. However, it’s worth noting that several sites allow access to other health care providers, including nurses, residents, and medical students.

Ideally, these close social networks exist to help physicians maximize benefits (collaborating and networking) and reduce risks (liability and online reputation). To allay concerns of risk, some sites, including Sermo and Medscape, allow confirmed physicians to choose an alias. On the upside, such anonymous posting allows for franker discussions; on the downside, it can lend itself to unprofessionalism, such as posting inappropriate or incendiary comments.

How many physicians are using these online physician communities? Between 25% and 28%, according to a 2011 study from QuantialMD, and a 2012 study from the Journal of Medical Internet Research. These numbers continue to grow.

If you’ve wondered whether to join a physician-only online community, here are six potential benefits:

• Curbside consults. These communities provide access to thousands of physicians, including specialists, which offers you a tremendous opportunity to get a curbside consult for that difficult patient. Often you can get both diagnostic and treatment suggestions quickly and cost free.

• Current event information. Missed a journal or a conference? These communities are great ways for you to stay informed. You can ask questions or simply follow conversations based on particular topics.

• Help with patient management. We’ve all had to work with difficult patients; the truth is some of us are better at it than others. These communities allow you to ask for advice (anonymously if you’re more comfortable with that) from other professionals who have navigated similar situations successfully and wish to help.

• The ability to share best practice information. Whether it’s a new medication or an office management solution, online communities are rich resources for sharing best practices. Many sites also allow you to poll fellow members, which yields personalized, instantaneous, real feedback.

• The ability to become a thought leader/expert. Whether you’re an established expert in your field or are building your reputation, these communities are effective vehicles for identifying people who stand out from the pack. Establishing yourself as a respected leader in a community can also lead to professional opportunities such as speaking invitations or other leadership roles.

• Networking. Sometimes we physicians forget that it’s beneficial to simply be social. These communities don’t always have to be about improving office efficiency or diagnosing difficult cases; sometimes they can simply be a place to hang out and connect with like-minded people. It’s not uncommon for online relationships to develop into real-life ones, such as connecting at a conference or collaborating on a volunteer project.

Remember, like any worthwhile network, these sites are only as valuable as your participation in them. And before posting questionable material, make sure it’s content that you would be comfortable sharing with a physician in person.

If you belong to a physician-only online community, please share your thoughts with us online, via the Skin & Allergy News Facebook page, or via e-mail (sknews@frontlinemedcom.com). What benefits or drawbacks have you encountered?

The next time you need advice on a challenging case or simply feel like connecting with colleagues, consider joining a physician online community. Just realize that there won’t be any hot coffee and donuts.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a practicing dermatologist and Physician Director of Healthcare Transformation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc or drop him a line at benabio@gmail.com.

When it comes to health, wellness, and fitness apps, we physicians tend to think of our patients. As in, how can this app help my patient lose weight, exercise more, monitor his diabetes, or help her stay compliant with her medications?

But what about physicians and other health care workers? Can apps help us? Absolutely. According to Dr. Craig Burkhart, a dermatologist and apps expert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, many physicians aren’t taking advantage of apps that can improve efficiency. "Most physicians I encounter have $1,000-$2,000 smartphones and tablets (when you include the service plans) and only make phone calls, check e-mails, text, and listen to music on them – all things they could do with much less expensive devices."

Dr. Burkhart says that many apps "can turn your devices into tools that help organize your e-mails, organize your schedule, bring clinical information to your fingertips, aid patient-doctor communication, secure important information, speed up and improve note taking, and more."

Apps for physicians are available in categories including patient education, drug reference, medical literature, and general reference.

Check out these handy apps and see what works for you:

• Read by QxMD. Staying up to date on medical journals is a challenge. This app lets you access, organize, and share articles from your favorite medical journals. Its magazinelike interface is popular with users, and makes reading medical journals "as fun as it can be," says Dr. Burkhart.

• PDFpen. Dr. Burkhart says this app is "essential to a paperless workflow." It allows users to sign and send documents without printing actual sheets of paper, making for a greener and more efficient office.

• Visual DX. A reference tool for physicians, this app is a digital medical image library with more than 25,000 images. It allows you to visually confirm a diagnosis and to quickly search on a disease, including symptoms and patient care management. A key feature is its ability to let you create a visual differential of medication-induced diseases for more than 700 different drugs.

• 1Password. We’ve all forgotten passwords from time to time. This app allows you to make and store highly secure and complex passwords. For Dr. Burkhart, it has "replaced memory and random sheets of paper as his password repository."

• Draw MD. We know that visuals often help us to explain complex issues to patients more effectively. This app enables you to draw and modify medical images and surgical procedures in a way that is clear and understandable to patients.

• 3D4Medical. This app can enhance patient education by using 3D technology to allow navigation around the body. You can zoom, rotate, and cut images to create different perspectives.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. He has published numerous scientific articles and is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a member of the Telemedicine Association and the American Medical Association, among others. He is board certified in dermatology as well as medicine and surgery in the state of California. Dr. Benabio has a special interest in the uses of social media for education and building a dermatology practice. He is the founder of The Derm Blog, an educational website which has had over 2 million unique visitors. Dr. Benabio is also a founding member and the skin care expert for Livestrong.com, a health and wellness website of Lance Armstrong’s the Livestrong Foundation. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.

When it comes to health, wellness, and fitness apps, we physicians tend to think of our patients. As in, how can this app help my patient lose weight, exercise more, monitor his diabetes, or help her stay compliant with her medications?

But what about physicians and other health care workers? Can apps help us? Absolutely. According to Dr. Craig Burkhart, a dermatologist and apps expert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, many physicians aren’t taking advantage of apps that can improve efficiency. "Most physicians I encounter have $1,000-$2,000 smartphones and tablets (when you include the service plans) and only make phone calls, check e-mails, text, and listen to music on them – all things they could do with much less expensive devices."

Dr. Burkhart says that many apps "can turn your devices into tools that help organize your e-mails, organize your schedule, bring clinical information to your fingertips, aid patient-doctor communication, secure important information, speed up and improve note taking, and more."

Apps for physicians are available in categories including patient education, drug reference, medical literature, and general reference.

Check out these handy apps and see what works for you:

• Read by QxMD. Staying up to date on medical journals is a challenge. This app lets you access, organize, and share articles from your favorite medical journals. Its magazinelike interface is popular with users, and makes reading medical journals "as fun as it can be," says Dr. Burkhart.

• PDFpen. Dr. Burkhart says this app is "essential to a paperless workflow." It allows users to sign and send documents without printing actual sheets of paper, making for a greener and more efficient office.

• Visual DX. A reference tool for physicians, this app is a digital medical image library with more than 25,000 images. It allows you to visually confirm a diagnosis and to quickly search on a disease, including symptoms and patient care management. A key feature is its ability to let you create a visual differential of medication-induced diseases for more than 700 different drugs.

• 1Password. We’ve all forgotten passwords from time to time. This app allows you to make and store highly secure and complex passwords. For Dr. Burkhart, it has "replaced memory and random sheets of paper as his password repository."

• Draw MD. We know that visuals often help us to explain complex issues to patients more effectively. This app enables you to draw and modify medical images and surgical procedures in a way that is clear and understandable to patients.

• 3D4Medical. This app can enhance patient education by using 3D technology to allow navigation around the body. You can zoom, rotate, and cut images to create different perspectives.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. He has published numerous scientific articles and is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a member of the Telemedicine Association and the American Medical Association, among others. He is board certified in dermatology as well as medicine and surgery in the state of California. Dr. Benabio has a special interest in the uses of social media for education and building a dermatology practice. He is the founder of The Derm Blog, an educational website which has had over 2 million unique visitors. Dr. Benabio is also a founding member and the skin care expert for Livestrong.com, a health and wellness website of Lance Armstrong’s the Livestrong Foundation. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.

When it comes to health, wellness, and fitness apps, we physicians tend to think of our patients. As in, how can this app help my patient lose weight, exercise more, monitor his diabetes, or help her stay compliant with her medications?

But what about physicians and other health care workers? Can apps help us? Absolutely. According to Dr. Craig Burkhart, a dermatologist and apps expert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, many physicians aren’t taking advantage of apps that can improve efficiency. "Most physicians I encounter have $1,000-$2,000 smartphones and tablets (when you include the service plans) and only make phone calls, check e-mails, text, and listen to music on them – all things they could do with much less expensive devices."

Dr. Burkhart says that many apps "can turn your devices into tools that help organize your e-mails, organize your schedule, bring clinical information to your fingertips, aid patient-doctor communication, secure important information, speed up and improve note taking, and more."

Apps for physicians are available in categories including patient education, drug reference, medical literature, and general reference.

Check out these handy apps and see what works for you:

• Read by QxMD. Staying up to date on medical journals is a challenge. This app lets you access, organize, and share articles from your favorite medical journals. Its magazinelike interface is popular with users, and makes reading medical journals "as fun as it can be," says Dr. Burkhart.

• PDFpen. Dr. Burkhart says this app is "essential to a paperless workflow." It allows users to sign and send documents without printing actual sheets of paper, making for a greener and more efficient office.

• Visual DX. A reference tool for physicians, this app is a digital medical image library with more than 25,000 images. It allows you to visually confirm a diagnosis and to quickly search on a disease, including symptoms and patient care management. A key feature is its ability to let you create a visual differential of medication-induced diseases for more than 700 different drugs.

• 1Password. We’ve all forgotten passwords from time to time. This app allows you to make and store highly secure and complex passwords. For Dr. Burkhart, it has "replaced memory and random sheets of paper as his password repository."

• Draw MD. We know that visuals often help us to explain complex issues to patients more effectively. This app enables you to draw and modify medical images and surgical procedures in a way that is clear and understandable to patients.

• 3D4Medical. This app can enhance patient education by using 3D technology to allow navigation around the body. You can zoom, rotate, and cut images to create different perspectives.

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. He has published numerous scientific articles and is a member and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and a member of the Telemedicine Association and the American Medical Association, among others. He is board certified in dermatology as well as medicine and surgery in the state of California. Dr. Benabio has a special interest in the uses of social media for education and building a dermatology practice. He is the founder of The Derm Blog, an educational website which has had over 2 million unique visitors. Dr. Benabio is also a founding member and the skin care expert for Livestrong.com, a health and wellness website of Lance Armstrong’s the Livestrong Foundation. Dr. Benabio is @Dermdoc on Twitter.

We live in an increasingly social and connected world. As such, doctor-patient online communication will become more common. As I noted in my last column, many physicians see online communication as a minefield of potential patient privacy violations, and they are reluctant to use it. Rather than avoid it for fear of committing a privacy violation, I hope all physicians will educate themselves on how to communicate online safely and effectively. To this end, I’m providing some examples of online questions you will likely encounter, with sample responses.

• A nonpatient asks you to make a diagnosis online. As a dermatologist who is active in social media, I often have nonpatients send me photos of their skin conditions requesting a diagnosis.

Sample question: "I’ve attached a photo of a mole on my leg. Does it look OK to you, Doc? Could it be cancerous?"

Sample response: "Thank you for sending me the picture. Without an established doctor-patient relationship, I’m unable to provide a diagnosis. I recommend you make an appointment with your dermatologist. If you don’t have one, here’s a link to the American Academy of Dermatology website where you can enter your ZIP code to find a dermatologist near you."

• A nonpatient asks your opinion about symptoms he is experiencing.

Sample question: "I’ve been experiencing bouts of diarrhea and stomach cramping and think I have celiac disease. I’m going to stop eating gluten. Do you think that’s a good idea?"

Sample response: "I’m sorry you’ve been unwell. Unfortunately, I cannot provide medical advice to you since we don’t have an established doctor-patient relationship. I can tell you, however, that diarrhea and cramping can be symptomatic of many conditions including, but not limited to celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance. I recommend you make an appointment with your primary care doctor so he or she can help you with your actual diagnosis and treatment."

• A patient of yours asks you a clinical question in an open forum such as Facebook or Twitter.

Sample question: "Hi, Doc. The birth control pills you gave me aren’t helping. I’ve been on them for 2 months, and I’m still having all the symptoms I had originally – mood swings, spotting, difficulty sleeping, and my acne’s not better. I think I need a different pill. Can you prescribe me one?"

Sample response: "I’m sorry to hear that. I’m happy to discuss this with you, but let’s do so privately. Please use our secure office e-mail to contact me, or call me during office hours and we can talk about what’s happening and what to do next. Hope to hear from you soon."

• Someone asks for specific product recommendations.

Sample question: "My doctor wants me to buy the sunscreen he sells in his office. He says it’s better than drug store brands, but it’s expensive. Is he telling the truth?"

Sample response: "I can’t speak specifically to your doctor’s sunscreen. But in general, you should look for a sunscreen that is labeled "broad spectrum," which protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 30-50. Most often, price doesn’t correlate with effectiveness. So, just because a sunscreen is more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more effective."

• Someone criticizes his current doctor or medical provider.

Sample question: "I’ve been going to my dermatologist for 6 months now and my acne hasn’t gotten any better. He put me on antibiotics and topical creams, and I still have acne. He obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing. Can you tell me what to do?"

Sample reply: "I’m sorry to hear that. I know how frustrating it can be. Acne can be very difficult to treat and can take a long time. Be sure that you’re communicating with your doctor about your situation so he can help you. Also, remember that you can always request a second opinion."

• You want to blog about a patient’s condition. How do you do it without violating the patient’s privacy while ensuring that he cannot be identified? One option is to obtain the patient’s written consent. Another option is to create a composite: Use real facts with fictional patients. For example, your actual patient is a 30-year-old UPS driver with severe hand eczema. You want to write about connections between hand eczema and occupational exposure. You create a fictional patient who is a 40-year-old female mail carrier. You discuss the symptoms of your actual patient in a way that maintains his privacy yet allows you to educate patients online.

Clearly, there are many more scenarios you may encounter online. This is a small sampling to give you some idea of how to respond safely and professionally. If you have specific questions or suggestions, feel free to share them by writing to sknews@frontlinemedcom.com.

Dr. Benabio is physician director of innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

We live in an increasingly social and connected world. As such, doctor-patient online communication will become more common. As I noted in my last column, many physicians see online communication as a minefield of potential patient privacy violations, and they are reluctant to use it. Rather than avoid it for fear of committing a privacy violation, I hope all physicians will educate themselves on how to communicate online safely and effectively. To this end, I’m providing some examples of online questions you will likely encounter, with sample responses.

• A nonpatient asks you to make a diagnosis online. As a dermatologist who is active in social media, I often have nonpatients send me photos of their skin conditions requesting a diagnosis.

Sample question: "I’ve attached a photo of a mole on my leg. Does it look OK to you, Doc? Could it be cancerous?"

Sample response: "Thank you for sending me the picture. Without an established doctor-patient relationship, I’m unable to provide a diagnosis. I recommend you make an appointment with your dermatologist. If you don’t have one, here’s a link to the American Academy of Dermatology website where you can enter your ZIP code to find a dermatologist near you."

• A nonpatient asks your opinion about symptoms he is experiencing.

Sample question: "I’ve been experiencing bouts of diarrhea and stomach cramping and think I have celiac disease. I’m going to stop eating gluten. Do you think that’s a good idea?"

Sample response: "I’m sorry you’ve been unwell. Unfortunately, I cannot provide medical advice to you since we don’t have an established doctor-patient relationship. I can tell you, however, that diarrhea and cramping can be symptomatic of many conditions including, but not limited to celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance. I recommend you make an appointment with your primary care doctor so he or she can help you with your actual diagnosis and treatment."

• A patient of yours asks you a clinical question in an open forum such as Facebook or Twitter.

Sample question: "Hi, Doc. The birth control pills you gave me aren’t helping. I’ve been on them for 2 months, and I’m still having all the symptoms I had originally – mood swings, spotting, difficulty sleeping, and my acne’s not better. I think I need a different pill. Can you prescribe me one?"

Sample response: "I’m sorry to hear that. I’m happy to discuss this with you, but let’s do so privately. Please use our secure office e-mail to contact me, or call me during office hours and we can talk about what’s happening and what to do next. Hope to hear from you soon."

• Someone asks for specific product recommendations.

Sample question: "My doctor wants me to buy the sunscreen he sells in his office. He says it’s better than drug store brands, but it’s expensive. Is he telling the truth?"

Sample response: "I can’t speak specifically to your doctor’s sunscreen. But in general, you should look for a sunscreen that is labeled "broad spectrum," which protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 30-50. Most often, price doesn’t correlate with effectiveness. So, just because a sunscreen is more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more effective."

• Someone criticizes his current doctor or medical provider.

Sample question: "I’ve been going to my dermatologist for 6 months now and my acne hasn’t gotten any better. He put me on antibiotics and topical creams, and I still have acne. He obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing. Can you tell me what to do?"

Sample reply: "I’m sorry to hear that. I know how frustrating it can be. Acne can be very difficult to treat and can take a long time. Be sure that you’re communicating with your doctor about your situation so he can help you. Also, remember that you can always request a second opinion."

• You want to blog about a patient’s condition. How do you do it without violating the patient’s privacy while ensuring that he cannot be identified? One option is to obtain the patient’s written consent. Another option is to create a composite: Use real facts with fictional patients. For example, your actual patient is a 30-year-old UPS driver with severe hand eczema. You want to write about connections between hand eczema and occupational exposure. You create a fictional patient who is a 40-year-old female mail carrier. You discuss the symptoms of your actual patient in a way that maintains his privacy yet allows you to educate patients online.

Clearly, there are many more scenarios you may encounter online. This is a small sampling to give you some idea of how to respond safely and professionally. If you have specific questions or suggestions, feel free to share them by writing to sknews@frontlinemedcom.com.

Dr. Benabio is physician director of innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

We live in an increasingly social and connected world. As such, doctor-patient online communication will become more common. As I noted in my last column, many physicians see online communication as a minefield of potential patient privacy violations, and they are reluctant to use it. Rather than avoid it for fear of committing a privacy violation, I hope all physicians will educate themselves on how to communicate online safely and effectively. To this end, I’m providing some examples of online questions you will likely encounter, with sample responses.

• A nonpatient asks you to make a diagnosis online. As a dermatologist who is active in social media, I often have nonpatients send me photos of their skin conditions requesting a diagnosis.

Sample question: "I’ve attached a photo of a mole on my leg. Does it look OK to you, Doc? Could it be cancerous?"

Sample response: "Thank you for sending me the picture. Without an established doctor-patient relationship, I’m unable to provide a diagnosis. I recommend you make an appointment with your dermatologist. If you don’t have one, here’s a link to the American Academy of Dermatology website where you can enter your ZIP code to find a dermatologist near you."

• A nonpatient asks your opinion about symptoms he is experiencing.

Sample question: "I’ve been experiencing bouts of diarrhea and stomach cramping and think I have celiac disease. I’m going to stop eating gluten. Do you think that’s a good idea?"

Sample response: "I’m sorry you’ve been unwell. Unfortunately, I cannot provide medical advice to you since we don’t have an established doctor-patient relationship. I can tell you, however, that diarrhea and cramping can be symptomatic of many conditions including, but not limited to celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance. I recommend you make an appointment with your primary care doctor so he or she can help you with your actual diagnosis and treatment."

• A patient of yours asks you a clinical question in an open forum such as Facebook or Twitter.

Sample question: "Hi, Doc. The birth control pills you gave me aren’t helping. I’ve been on them for 2 months, and I’m still having all the symptoms I had originally – mood swings, spotting, difficulty sleeping, and my acne’s not better. I think I need a different pill. Can you prescribe me one?"

Sample response: "I’m sorry to hear that. I’m happy to discuss this with you, but let’s do so privately. Please use our secure office e-mail to contact me, or call me during office hours and we can talk about what’s happening and what to do next. Hope to hear from you soon."

• Someone asks for specific product recommendations.

Sample question: "My doctor wants me to buy the sunscreen he sells in his office. He says it’s better than drug store brands, but it’s expensive. Is he telling the truth?"

Sample response: "I can’t speak specifically to your doctor’s sunscreen. But in general, you should look for a sunscreen that is labeled "broad spectrum," which protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of 30-50. Most often, price doesn’t correlate with effectiveness. So, just because a sunscreen is more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more effective."

• Someone criticizes his current doctor or medical provider.

Sample question: "I’ve been going to my dermatologist for 6 months now and my acne hasn’t gotten any better. He put me on antibiotics and topical creams, and I still have acne. He obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing. Can you tell me what to do?"

Sample reply: "I’m sorry to hear that. I know how frustrating it can be. Acne can be very difficult to treat and can take a long time. Be sure that you’re communicating with your doctor about your situation so he can help you. Also, remember that you can always request a second opinion."

• You want to blog about a patient’s condition. How do you do it without violating the patient’s privacy while ensuring that he cannot be identified? One option is to obtain the patient’s written consent. Another option is to create a composite: Use real facts with fictional patients. For example, your actual patient is a 30-year-old UPS driver with severe hand eczema. You want to write about connections between hand eczema and occupational exposure. You create a fictional patient who is a 40-year-old female mail carrier. You discuss the symptoms of your actual patient in a way that maintains his privacy yet allows you to educate patients online.

Clearly, there are many more scenarios you may encounter online. This is a small sampling to give you some idea of how to respond safely and professionally. If you have specific questions or suggestions, feel free to share them by writing to sknews@frontlinemedcom.com.

Dr. Benabio is physician director of innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

Do no harm. There are few words that mean more to physicians, which is why many are reluctant to engage with patients online. They see social media as a minefield of potential privacy violations.

Avoiding social media entirely for fear of committing a privacy violation is not the answer in today’s increasingly social world. Instead, you should educate yourself about how to use social media safely and effectively.

Numerous medical centers and governing bodies are trying to establish social media guidelines for physicians and health care workers, but since social media is continually evolving, so will the guidelines for using it. Some existing guidelines include the following:

• American College of Physicians: new recommendations offer guidance for preserving trust when using social media.

• The Federation of State Medical Boards Model Policy Guidelines.

• Cleveland Clinic Social Media Policy.

• Mayo Clinic Social Media Policy for Employees.

• Centers for Disease Controls Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices.

It’s true that engaging with patients online poses risks to us as providers. It’s also true that we take on risk every day that we see patients. And just as a physician who violates a patient’s privacy in person could face legal ramifications, so too could he face them from committing a privacy breach online.

I encourage everyone to do their own research before engaging in social media, but here are the guidelines I adhere to for using it safely:

• Include a disclaimer on your social networks that states content is not medical advice, but rather educational information. For example, on my @Dermdoc Twitter account, my bio includes "Views here are my own, and are not medical advice."

• Maintain separate personal and professional online accounts, and direct patients to your professional accounts only.

• E-mail and other electronic modes of communication should be used only within a secure system with an established patient/physician relationship and with patient consent.

• Never respond to specific clinical questions from nonpatients online. Encourage the individual to contact his or her medical provider, or in the case of an emergency, to go to the nearest emergency department.

• Text messaging should be used only with established patients and with their consent.

• Never post information or photos online that could re-identify a patient, unless you have his or her written consent.

• If a patient identifies himself online of his own accord, you are not responsible. However, you should explain to him that you’d rather not discuss his specific case in public and redirect him to a secure means of communication with you.

• Never argue, demean, or accuse patients online. Your online behavior should reflect your professionalism and respect of others.

• Never post content or photos of yourself that are unprofessional or incriminating, such as a photo of you and your buddies partying.

In my next column, I’ll present specific examples of safe and appropriate responses to patients online.

Dr. Benabio is Physician Director of Innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

Do no harm. There are few words that mean more to physicians, which is why many are reluctant to engage with patients online. They see social media as a minefield of potential privacy violations.

Avoiding social media entirely for fear of committing a privacy violation is not the answer in today’s increasingly social world. Instead, you should educate yourself about how to use social media safely and effectively.

Numerous medical centers and governing bodies are trying to establish social media guidelines for physicians and health care workers, but since social media is continually evolving, so will the guidelines for using it. Some existing guidelines include the following:

• American College of Physicians: new recommendations offer guidance for preserving trust when using social media.

• The Federation of State Medical Boards Model Policy Guidelines.

• Cleveland Clinic Social Media Policy.

• Mayo Clinic Social Media Policy for Employees.

• Centers for Disease Controls Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices.

It’s true that engaging with patients online poses risks to us as providers. It’s also true that we take on risk every day that we see patients. And just as a physician who violates a patient’s privacy in person could face legal ramifications, so too could he face them from committing a privacy breach online.

I encourage everyone to do their own research before engaging in social media, but here are the guidelines I adhere to for using it safely:

• Include a disclaimer on your social networks that states content is not medical advice, but rather educational information. For example, on my @Dermdoc Twitter account, my bio includes "Views here are my own, and are not medical advice."

• Maintain separate personal and professional online accounts, and direct patients to your professional accounts only.

• E-mail and other electronic modes of communication should be used only within a secure system with an established patient/physician relationship and with patient consent.

• Never respond to specific clinical questions from nonpatients online. Encourage the individual to contact his or her medical provider, or in the case of an emergency, to go to the nearest emergency department.

• Text messaging should be used only with established patients and with their consent.

• Never post information or photos online that could re-identify a patient, unless you have his or her written consent.

• If a patient identifies himself online of his own accord, you are not responsible. However, you should explain to him that you’d rather not discuss his specific case in public and redirect him to a secure means of communication with you.

• Never argue, demean, or accuse patients online. Your online behavior should reflect your professionalism and respect of others.

• Never post content or photos of yourself that are unprofessional or incriminating, such as a photo of you and your buddies partying.

In my next column, I’ll present specific examples of safe and appropriate responses to patients online.

Dr. Benabio is Physician Director of Innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

Do no harm. There are few words that mean more to physicians, which is why many are reluctant to engage with patients online. They see social media as a minefield of potential privacy violations.

Avoiding social media entirely for fear of committing a privacy violation is not the answer in today’s increasingly social world. Instead, you should educate yourself about how to use social media safely and effectively.

Numerous medical centers and governing bodies are trying to establish social media guidelines for physicians and health care workers, but since social media is continually evolving, so will the guidelines for using it. Some existing guidelines include the following:

• American College of Physicians: new recommendations offer guidance for preserving trust when using social media.

• The Federation of State Medical Boards Model Policy Guidelines.

• Cleveland Clinic Social Media Policy.

• Mayo Clinic Social Media Policy for Employees.

• Centers for Disease Controls Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices.

It’s true that engaging with patients online poses risks to us as providers. It’s also true that we take on risk every day that we see patients. And just as a physician who violates a patient’s privacy in person could face legal ramifications, so too could he face them from committing a privacy breach online.

I encourage everyone to do their own research before engaging in social media, but here are the guidelines I adhere to for using it safely:

• Include a disclaimer on your social networks that states content is not medical advice, but rather educational information. For example, on my @Dermdoc Twitter account, my bio includes "Views here are my own, and are not medical advice."

• Maintain separate personal and professional online accounts, and direct patients to your professional accounts only.

• E-mail and other electronic modes of communication should be used only within a secure system with an established patient/physician relationship and with patient consent.

• Never respond to specific clinical questions from nonpatients online. Encourage the individual to contact his or her medical provider, or in the case of an emergency, to go to the nearest emergency department.

• Text messaging should be used only with established patients and with their consent.

• Never post information or photos online that could re-identify a patient, unless you have his or her written consent.

• If a patient identifies himself online of his own accord, you are not responsible. However, you should explain to him that you’d rather not discuss his specific case in public and redirect him to a secure means of communication with you.

• Never argue, demean, or accuse patients online. Your online behavior should reflect your professionalism and respect of others.

• Never post content or photos of yourself that are unprofessional or incriminating, such as a photo of you and your buddies partying.

In my next column, I’ll present specific examples of safe and appropriate responses to patients online.

Dr. Benabio is Physician Director of Innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

It happened. You got Yelped. An angry patient wrote a scathing, ranting comment about your 2-hour office wait, your abrupt manner, or your snarky receptionist. What should you do? Scream? No. Patients would hear you, and it would be fodder for more bad reviews. Pound your fist on your desk? Nope. You have a Mohs procedure later today. Write a reply to the patient putting him in his place and exonerating yourself? No, you should definitely not do that.

No matter how intelligent, devoted, and caring, we all have negative doctor reviews. Now, those reviews are posted online for the world to see. That’s why you need a strategy to deal with this problem.

First, how will you know when it happens? Do this: Set up a Google Alert. Google Alerts are e-mail updates that you receive based on your queries. Include your name and the name of your practice. That way, you’ll receive notice when you’re mentioned online.

If you receive a negative comment online, then follow this three-step strategy: Listen. Plan. Engage.

Listen to who has made the comments. Is he or she a popular "Yelper?" Does this person have thousands of followers, or just a few? In cases where the site is not popular or the commenter not well connected, the best option is to ignore the comment. Any action you take could draw a larger audience.

Plan a course of action. Is this a situation that you think can be resolved by calling or messaging the patient directly? Or should you respond to the comment online?

Engage the patient who left the comment. Patients who leave angry comments want to feel that they’ve been heard. Responding to them online will show that you heard them, that you care, and that you want to rectify the situation.

But before you take action online, remember that there are three things you should never do:

• Argue.

• Violate HIPAA.

• Go to bed, or to the Internet, angry.

What about simply deleting the comment? In many instances, this is not possible. If the comment is on your site, or on your Facebook page, be aware that deleting the remark can make the patient angrier, and incite him or her to leave comments on other sites where you can’t delete them. Unless the comment is abusive, vulgar, or violates your stated policy, then consider leaving it, and responding to it instead.

When you’re ready to reply to the patient online, take these tips from public relations professionals:

• Reach out neutral.

• Redact.

• Remediate.

Reach out neutral means that you reach out to the patient in a neutral, nonconfrontational manner. Despite your personal feelings, don’t blame or belittle the patient in any way. It will only hurt your reputation and show others on the site that you’re more concerned with being right than with helping your patients. You might write something like, "I’m sorry. Please call XXX-XXX-XXXX so I can help you. Sincerely, Dr. Your Name." If the comment was left anonymously, you might say something like, "I’m sorry this happened. I hope you contact us and let us know who you are so we can help you."

Contrary to popular belief, saying "I’m sorry," does not mean you’re admitting wrongdoing. You are sorry that the patient is upset, and you do want to help him.

Redacting a comment is extremely difficult. Think about it this way: If rating sites removed all negative, incendiary comments, then people wouldn’t have any need to read the reviews. Unless the comment is clearly libelous, then remedy the situation in other ways. If, however, you can prove that the patient has lied, then contact the review site and make your case. However, remember that we are still accountable to protect a patient’s privacy, even in these challenging circumstances.

Remediation is the last step, and it is crucial. In most cases, there is something to be learned from what the patient has said. Were you criticized for having a long wait time or for having insensitive staff? Then fix it. Otherwise, it will just be the first of many such reviews.

To prevent negative online comments, some physicians have issued gag orders to patients, making them promise not to discuss their appointment or treatment online. Gag orders are a terrible idea. They’re indefensible by law and can lead to your name being added to "'RateMd.coms wall of shame."

Finally, some physicians have felt that legal action is their only recourse after negative online comments. That decision is up to you and your attorney. But keep in mind that the legal precedent so far has favored patients and rating sites, not physicians, and that any litigation could go on for months.

The consumerization of health care means that patients will have more power than ever to help or harm your practice. So be sure that you are providing top-quality care, but be ready with a strategy to manage bad reviews when they happen.

Dr. Benabio is Physician Director of Innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

It happened. You got Yelped. An angry patient wrote a scathing, ranting comment about your 2-hour office wait, your abrupt manner, or your snarky receptionist. What should you do? Scream? No. Patients would hear you, and it would be fodder for more bad reviews. Pound your fist on your desk? Nope. You have a Mohs procedure later today. Write a reply to the patient putting him in his place and exonerating yourself? No, you should definitely not do that.

No matter how intelligent, devoted, and caring, we all have negative doctor reviews. Now, those reviews are posted online for the world to see. That’s why you need a strategy to deal with this problem.

First, how will you know when it happens? Do this: Set up a Google Alert. Google Alerts are e-mail updates that you receive based on your queries. Include your name and the name of your practice. That way, you’ll receive notice when you’re mentioned online.

If you receive a negative comment online, then follow this three-step strategy: Listen. Plan. Engage.

Listen to who has made the comments. Is he or she a popular "Yelper?" Does this person have thousands of followers, or just a few? In cases where the site is not popular or the commenter not well connected, the best option is to ignore the comment. Any action you take could draw a larger audience.

Plan a course of action. Is this a situation that you think can be resolved by calling or messaging the patient directly? Or should you respond to the comment online?

Engage the patient who left the comment. Patients who leave angry comments want to feel that they’ve been heard. Responding to them online will show that you heard them, that you care, and that you want to rectify the situation.

But before you take action online, remember that there are three things you should never do:

• Argue.

• Violate HIPAA.

• Go to bed, or to the Internet, angry.

What about simply deleting the comment? In many instances, this is not possible. If the comment is on your site, or on your Facebook page, be aware that deleting the remark can make the patient angrier, and incite him or her to leave comments on other sites where you can’t delete them. Unless the comment is abusive, vulgar, or violates your stated policy, then consider leaving it, and responding to it instead.

When you’re ready to reply to the patient online, take these tips from public relations professionals:

• Reach out neutral.

• Redact.

• Remediate.

Reach out neutral means that you reach out to the patient in a neutral, nonconfrontational manner. Despite your personal feelings, don’t blame or belittle the patient in any way. It will only hurt your reputation and show others on the site that you’re more concerned with being right than with helping your patients. You might write something like, "I’m sorry. Please call XXX-XXX-XXXX so I can help you. Sincerely, Dr. Your Name." If the comment was left anonymously, you might say something like, "I’m sorry this happened. I hope you contact us and let us know who you are so we can help you."

Contrary to popular belief, saying "I’m sorry," does not mean you’re admitting wrongdoing. You are sorry that the patient is upset, and you do want to help him.

Redacting a comment is extremely difficult. Think about it this way: If rating sites removed all negative, incendiary comments, then people wouldn’t have any need to read the reviews. Unless the comment is clearly libelous, then remedy the situation in other ways. If, however, you can prove that the patient has lied, then contact the review site and make your case. However, remember that we are still accountable to protect a patient’s privacy, even in these challenging circumstances.

Remediation is the last step, and it is crucial. In most cases, there is something to be learned from what the patient has said. Were you criticized for having a long wait time or for having insensitive staff? Then fix it. Otherwise, it will just be the first of many such reviews.

To prevent negative online comments, some physicians have issued gag orders to patients, making them promise not to discuss their appointment or treatment online. Gag orders are a terrible idea. They’re indefensible by law and can lead to your name being added to "'RateMd.coms wall of shame."

Finally, some physicians have felt that legal action is their only recourse after negative online comments. That decision is up to you and your attorney. But keep in mind that the legal precedent so far has favored patients and rating sites, not physicians, and that any litigation could go on for months.

The consumerization of health care means that patients will have more power than ever to help or harm your practice. So be sure that you are providing top-quality care, but be ready with a strategy to manage bad reviews when they happen.

Dr. Benabio is Physician Director of Innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

It happened. You got Yelped. An angry patient wrote a scathing, ranting comment about your 2-hour office wait, your abrupt manner, or your snarky receptionist. What should you do? Scream? No. Patients would hear you, and it would be fodder for more bad reviews. Pound your fist on your desk? Nope. You have a Mohs procedure later today. Write a reply to the patient putting him in his place and exonerating yourself? No, you should definitely not do that.

No matter how intelligent, devoted, and caring, we all have negative doctor reviews. Now, those reviews are posted online for the world to see. That’s why you need a strategy to deal with this problem.

First, how will you know when it happens? Do this: Set up a Google Alert. Google Alerts are e-mail updates that you receive based on your queries. Include your name and the name of your practice. That way, you’ll receive notice when you’re mentioned online.

If you receive a negative comment online, then follow this three-step strategy: Listen. Plan. Engage.

Listen to who has made the comments. Is he or she a popular "Yelper?" Does this person have thousands of followers, or just a few? In cases where the site is not popular or the commenter not well connected, the best option is to ignore the comment. Any action you take could draw a larger audience.

Plan a course of action. Is this a situation that you think can be resolved by calling or messaging the patient directly? Or should you respond to the comment online?

Engage the patient who left the comment. Patients who leave angry comments want to feel that they’ve been heard. Responding to them online will show that you heard them, that you care, and that you want to rectify the situation.

But before you take action online, remember that there are three things you should never do:

• Argue.

• Violate HIPAA.

• Go to bed, or to the Internet, angry.

What about simply deleting the comment? In many instances, this is not possible. If the comment is on your site, or on your Facebook page, be aware that deleting the remark can make the patient angrier, and incite him or her to leave comments on other sites where you can’t delete them. Unless the comment is abusive, vulgar, or violates your stated policy, then consider leaving it, and responding to it instead.

When you’re ready to reply to the patient online, take these tips from public relations professionals:

• Reach out neutral.

• Redact.

• Remediate.

Reach out neutral means that you reach out to the patient in a neutral, nonconfrontational manner. Despite your personal feelings, don’t blame or belittle the patient in any way. It will only hurt your reputation and show others on the site that you’re more concerned with being right than with helping your patients. You might write something like, "I’m sorry. Please call XXX-XXX-XXXX so I can help you. Sincerely, Dr. Your Name." If the comment was left anonymously, you might say something like, "I’m sorry this happened. I hope you contact us and let us know who you are so we can help you."

Contrary to popular belief, saying "I’m sorry," does not mean you’re admitting wrongdoing. You are sorry that the patient is upset, and you do want to help him.

Redacting a comment is extremely difficult. Think about it this way: If rating sites removed all negative, incendiary comments, then people wouldn’t have any need to read the reviews. Unless the comment is clearly libelous, then remedy the situation in other ways. If, however, you can prove that the patient has lied, then contact the review site and make your case. However, remember that we are still accountable to protect a patient’s privacy, even in these challenging circumstances.

Remediation is the last step, and it is crucial. In most cases, there is something to be learned from what the patient has said. Were you criticized for having a long wait time or for having insensitive staff? Then fix it. Otherwise, it will just be the first of many such reviews.

To prevent negative online comments, some physicians have issued gag orders to patients, making them promise not to discuss their appointment or treatment online. Gag orders are a terrible idea. They’re indefensible by law and can lead to your name being added to "'RateMd.coms wall of shame."

Finally, some physicians have felt that legal action is their only recourse after negative online comments. That decision is up to you and your attorney. But keep in mind that the legal precedent so far has favored patients and rating sites, not physicians, and that any litigation could go on for months.

The consumerization of health care means that patients will have more power than ever to help or harm your practice. So be sure that you are providing top-quality care, but be ready with a strategy to manage bad reviews when they happen.

Dr. Benabio is Physician Director of Innovation at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com and his health care blog at benabio.com. Connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc and on Facebook (DermDoc).

You’ve heard it before: Social media is the new marketing. Chances are good that you’re already using social media to market your practice. The question is: Are you using it effectively?

Traditional marketing – buying ads through newspapers, magazines, radio, et cetera – is still alive. But more and more, companies, including medical practices, are turning to social media marketing or "media marketing." Why? Social marketing costs less, helps build your brand, is interactive, is less obtrusive, provides real-time results, and can be adjusted or tailored quickly to meet your current needs.

As health care providers, we know that the best form of advertising is positive word of mouth. Turns out the same is true online. A 2012 Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising report found that of 28,000 Internet respondents in 56 countries, 92% of consumers said they trusted earned media (media recommended by family and friends) above all other forms of advertising.

The same is true with health care. Health care consumers want more, not fewer, online reviews of doctors and medical centers because they trust word of mouth. According to a May 2011 report from the Pew Research Center, 16% of Internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other health care providers. These numbers will only rise as more patients post reviews.

Despite its benefits, social marketing won’t work for your practice if you don’t use it correctly. Unlike traditional marketing, which relies on a one-way message from the company (you) to the consumer (your current and prospective patients), social marketing is a two-way message. You are connecting with and sharing information with others on different social media platforms on a regular basis.

Successful marketing is a multistep process. It’s not good enough to simply attract. You also need to convert. The online world is full of clutter, so to attract people’s attention, you need to provide value. You do this by creating compelling, credible content that can be easily shared on many social platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. The hub of your social media marketing content should be your website/blog.

Your practice website should include a blog that is continually updated with fresh, original material that can be shared on social platforms. That way, when people find you on Facebook or Twitter, they can click through to your practice website where conversion takes place. Keep in mind it often takes more than one visit to convert.

For social marketing to be effective, you need a strong brand and message. Are you the acne expert? The technologically tricked-out Mohs surgeon? The bilingual pediatrician?

Let’s look at an example: You’re a pediatric dermatologist who specializes in eczema. You write engaging, useful, medically accurate blog posts that you share on different social media platforms. A mom of a child with eczema finds a link to one of your posts on natural remedies for eczema. She clicks through to your practice website, where she posts a comment on the blog and shares the post on Pinterest.

Here’s what she should find while she’s on your practice’s website:

• A clean, updated site with information about you and your practice.

• More blog posts for visitors to read and comment on.

• An RSS feed to subscribe to your blog.

• The ability to sign up for your newsletter or do one-click shopping (if applicable).

• The ability to make an appointment by phone or by using an online booking service (such as ZocDoc.com).

• Links to your other social media platforms (Facebook page, twitter feed).

• Any details that make your practice stand out, such as when and whether you offer night or weekend appointments, descriptions of your latest technology, or the presence of multilingual staff.

She will likely start consuming your information. She might comment on a blog post, begin following you on Twitter, or sign up for your RSS feed that will provide her with updates every time you post new content. Over time, she will come to value your brand and see you as a trusted source of information. She may eventually schedule an appointment, refer you to a friend, or buy one of your products. Likely, she’ll share her positive experiences online, helping to spread the good word about you.

If you’ve tried social media marketing in the past and didn’t find it successful, then ask yourself these questions: Did you misuse your social media platforms by constantly promoting yourself or criticizing others? Did you spam people with unwanted ads or add people to your e-mail list without their permission? Ignore questions and comments? Forget to make it about them, not you?

Today, there is no successful marketing without successful social media. By following these steps, not only will you attract new clients, you will also convert them, leading to more satisfied patients and a more satisfied you.

Dr. Benabio is in private practice in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at http://thedermblog.com; connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc, and on Facebook (DermDoc).

You’ve heard it before: Social media is the new marketing. Chances are good that you’re already using social media to market your practice. The question is: Are you using it effectively?

Traditional marketing – buying ads through newspapers, magazines, radio, et cetera – is still alive. But more and more, companies, including medical practices, are turning to social media marketing or "media marketing." Why? Social marketing costs less, helps build your brand, is interactive, is less obtrusive, provides real-time results, and can be adjusted or tailored quickly to meet your current needs.

As health care providers, we know that the best form of advertising is positive word of mouth. Turns out the same is true online. A 2012 Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising report found that of 28,000 Internet respondents in 56 countries, 92% of consumers said they trusted earned media (media recommended by family and friends) above all other forms of advertising.

The same is true with health care. Health care consumers want more, not fewer, online reviews of doctors and medical centers because they trust word of mouth. According to a May 2011 report from the Pew Research Center, 16% of Internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other health care providers. These numbers will only rise as more patients post reviews.

Despite its benefits, social marketing won’t work for your practice if you don’t use it correctly. Unlike traditional marketing, which relies on a one-way message from the company (you) to the consumer (your current and prospective patients), social marketing is a two-way message. You are connecting with and sharing information with others on different social media platforms on a regular basis.

Successful marketing is a multistep process. It’s not good enough to simply attract. You also need to convert. The online world is full of clutter, so to attract people’s attention, you need to provide value. You do this by creating compelling, credible content that can be easily shared on many social platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. The hub of your social media marketing content should be your website/blog.

Your practice website should include a blog that is continually updated with fresh, original material that can be shared on social platforms. That way, when people find you on Facebook or Twitter, they can click through to your practice website where conversion takes place. Keep in mind it often takes more than one visit to convert.

For social marketing to be effective, you need a strong brand and message. Are you the acne expert? The technologically tricked-out Mohs surgeon? The bilingual pediatrician?

Let’s look at an example: You’re a pediatric dermatologist who specializes in eczema. You write engaging, useful, medically accurate blog posts that you share on different social media platforms. A mom of a child with eczema finds a link to one of your posts on natural remedies for eczema. She clicks through to your practice website, where she posts a comment on the blog and shares the post on Pinterest.

Here’s what she should find while she’s on your practice’s website:

• A clean, updated site with information about you and your practice.

• More blog posts for visitors to read and comment on.

• An RSS feed to subscribe to your blog.

• The ability to sign up for your newsletter or do one-click shopping (if applicable).

• The ability to make an appointment by phone or by using an online booking service (such as ZocDoc.com).

• Links to your other social media platforms (Facebook page, twitter feed).

• Any details that make your practice stand out, such as when and whether you offer night or weekend appointments, descriptions of your latest technology, or the presence of multilingual staff.

She will likely start consuming your information. She might comment on a blog post, begin following you on Twitter, or sign up for your RSS feed that will provide her with updates every time you post new content. Over time, she will come to value your brand and see you as a trusted source of information. She may eventually schedule an appointment, refer you to a friend, or buy one of your products. Likely, she’ll share her positive experiences online, helping to spread the good word about you.

If you’ve tried social media marketing in the past and didn’t find it successful, then ask yourself these questions: Did you misuse your social media platforms by constantly promoting yourself or criticizing others? Did you spam people with unwanted ads or add people to your e-mail list without their permission? Ignore questions and comments? Forget to make it about them, not you?

Today, there is no successful marketing without successful social media. By following these steps, not only will you attract new clients, you will also convert them, leading to more satisfied patients and a more satisfied you.

Dr. Benabio is in private practice in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at http://thedermblog.com; connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc, and on Facebook (DermDoc).

You’ve heard it before: Social media is the new marketing. Chances are good that you’re already using social media to market your practice. The question is: Are you using it effectively?

Traditional marketing – buying ads through newspapers, magazines, radio, et cetera – is still alive. But more and more, companies, including medical practices, are turning to social media marketing or "media marketing." Why? Social marketing costs less, helps build your brand, is interactive, is less obtrusive, provides real-time results, and can be adjusted or tailored quickly to meet your current needs.

As health care providers, we know that the best form of advertising is positive word of mouth. Turns out the same is true online. A 2012 Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising report found that of 28,000 Internet respondents in 56 countries, 92% of consumers said they trusted earned media (media recommended by family and friends) above all other forms of advertising.

The same is true with health care. Health care consumers want more, not fewer, online reviews of doctors and medical centers because they trust word of mouth. According to a May 2011 report from the Pew Research Center, 16% of Internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other health care providers. These numbers will only rise as more patients post reviews.

Despite its benefits, social marketing won’t work for your practice if you don’t use it correctly. Unlike traditional marketing, which relies on a one-way message from the company (you) to the consumer (your current and prospective patients), social marketing is a two-way message. You are connecting with and sharing information with others on different social media platforms on a regular basis.

Successful marketing is a multistep process. It’s not good enough to simply attract. You also need to convert. The online world is full of clutter, so to attract people’s attention, you need to provide value. You do this by creating compelling, credible content that can be easily shared on many social platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. The hub of your social media marketing content should be your website/blog.

Your practice website should include a blog that is continually updated with fresh, original material that can be shared on social platforms. That way, when people find you on Facebook or Twitter, they can click through to your practice website where conversion takes place. Keep in mind it often takes more than one visit to convert.

For social marketing to be effective, you need a strong brand and message. Are you the acne expert? The technologically tricked-out Mohs surgeon? The bilingual pediatrician?

Let’s look at an example: You’re a pediatric dermatologist who specializes in eczema. You write engaging, useful, medically accurate blog posts that you share on different social media platforms. A mom of a child with eczema finds a link to one of your posts on natural remedies for eczema. She clicks through to your practice website, where she posts a comment on the blog and shares the post on Pinterest.

Here’s what she should find while she’s on your practice’s website:

• A clean, updated site with information about you and your practice.

• More blog posts for visitors to read and comment on.

• An RSS feed to subscribe to your blog.

• The ability to sign up for your newsletter or do one-click shopping (if applicable).

• The ability to make an appointment by phone or by using an online booking service (such as ZocDoc.com).

• Links to your other social media platforms (Facebook page, twitter feed).

• Any details that make your practice stand out, such as when and whether you offer night or weekend appointments, descriptions of your latest technology, or the presence of multilingual staff.

She will likely start consuming your information. She might comment on a blog post, begin following you on Twitter, or sign up for your RSS feed that will provide her with updates every time you post new content. Over time, she will come to value your brand and see you as a trusted source of information. She may eventually schedule an appointment, refer you to a friend, or buy one of your products. Likely, she’ll share her positive experiences online, helping to spread the good word about you.

If you’ve tried social media marketing in the past and didn’t find it successful, then ask yourself these questions: Did you misuse your social media platforms by constantly promoting yourself or criticizing others? Did you spam people with unwanted ads or add people to your e-mail list without their permission? Ignore questions and comments? Forget to make it about them, not you?

Today, there is no successful marketing without successful social media. By following these steps, not only will you attract new clients, you will also convert them, leading to more satisfied patients and a more satisfied you.

Dr. Benabio is in private practice in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at http://thedermblog.com; connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc, and on Facebook (DermDoc).