Interview with Howard Luks, MD on Social Media in Healthcare

When it comes to physicians who understand the inner workings of engaging patients through social media you don’t have to look much further than Dr. Howard Luks.  An Orthopedic Surgeon running two successful New York practices, just one look at his website and you’ll understand where he’s coming from. There is the Howard J. Luks, MD: Chief of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy and then there is the Howard J. Luks, 2.o: Digital Strategist, Chief Medical Officer.

If you visit his site you’ll see Dr. Luks writes and manages four, yes four, blogs. The blogs are a treasure trove of information for both patients and fellow practitioners.  He most recently posted about Google algorithm changes implemented to help create search engine optimization (SEO) parity so small, quality blogs can more effectively compete for their place in organic search results. Google Panda and Penguin: Two More Reasons for Doctors to Blog talks about these Google changes and why there has never been a better time for physicians to start blogging.

Dr. Nick van Terheyden recently interviewed Dr. Luks on his Voice of the Doctor radio show.  On the show the two spoke about using social media to increase patient engagement, healthcare du jour these days, and drive new business.  Dr. Luks is quick to point out that entering the social media arena was a natural process for him, the marriage of technology with his natural inquisitiveness and sociable nature. When he discovered patients liked what he had to say on his blog, on Twitter and on Facebook the light bulb went off. He began tracking new patient conversions through his efforts of “humanizing his practice.” It has been a mission for him ever since to educate other physicians on why they need to be part of the healthcare discussion happening through social media channels.

You can listen to the podcast of the interview with Dr. Luks here.