By: Gus Galante, MD

Facebook: it’s everywhere. Both people and businesses are using this new “social media” tool to spread the word and start conversations. Like many cosmetic surgeons across the country, I recently created a page for my practice, and it’s helping me connect with patients in new and important ways.

The Benefits for Surgeons

Building my Facebook fan page and watching it grow has been a truly rewarding experience. It has helped me accomplish some exciting things, such as:

• Building awareness of my practice and the procedures that I perform.
• Creating a community among my current patients, former patients, and prospective patients.
• Allowing open communication between my practice and the public.
• Enabling former patients to provide testimonials for my practice.
• Providing a platform for me to share special offers and events.

Considerations for Patients

Many of the same reasons that Facebook is so rewarding for me are also true for patients. By becoming a fan of your plastic surgeon in Indiana, you are plugging into a source of information and support. There are, however, some best practices to keep in mind:

• Your surgeon should update the Facebook content regularly.
• Your surgeon should respond to the questions and comments posted on their “wall.”
• Postings shouldn’t just be about sales. Your surgeon’s posts should also provide useful information and help you get to know their practice better.

To get an idea of what a surgeon’s fan page looks like, you can take a look at my Facebook page.

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