The Role of Social Media in a Rheumatology Practice

Social media has shifted how we all communicate, adding another dimension to patient care. It is our responsibility to provide reliable rheumatology information online to benefit our patients and colleagues. Staff members and patients can assist in the design of a valuable, interactive practice website to educate and to coordinate care in a collaborative way. Staff member input is important to understand which media can be supported, and patient input is invaluable to understand how they prefer to communicate via social media. Although patients strongly value peer referrals to a rheumatology practice, your practice’s reputation on social media is critical to individual patients, colleagues, and the community.

Dr. Battafarano is chair of the Rheumatology Service of San Antonio Military Medical Center and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and a member of the ARHP Practice Committee.