There’s a recent article at the Baltimore Sun that describes how Doctors offices are trying services like Facebook, Twitter and even Groupon to attract new patients. In fact, through the use of Groupon, one Optometrist expanded their customer based and connected with other eye doctors across the country.

“Groupon has offered a growing number of deals for eye exams, teeth-cleaning and whitening, electrolysis and chiropractic services. Approximately 15 percent of Groupon deals nationwide are for health care services, says Julie Anne Mossler, a company spokeswoman.”

Health Care Marketing, PR and Communications professionals around the world are working hard to understand how new media platforms like social media can help them better connect with patients and create more awareness.  Besides actual participation, Viagra there are many information channels (including the social web itself) to learn more including an upcoming event from Ragan and Kaiser Permanente.

Next month Ragan Communications and Kaiser Permanente are offering a Health Care Communicators Summit: A practical how-to conference for Health Care, Public Relations, Marketing, and Social Media on June 7-9, 2010 at the Kaiser Permanente Sidney R. Garfield Health Care Innovation Center in San Leandro, CA.

Clearly, 2009 was a year of new beginnings for the health care industry — particularly in regards to the acceptance of social media channels like Twitter. But as we move into 2010, will that acceptance shrink, remain stagnant or skyrocket?

We don’t have a health care Twitter crystal ball. But we do have an interview with Phil Baumann, registered nurse and author, by HCPLive. Baumann shared with HCPLive his predictions for the future of Twitter for health care marketing:

60 million consumers now using social media to share their health experiences online, according to recent health care social media research by the HealthCare New Media buy prescription drugs Marketing Conference. it’s no wonder that more and more hospitals are trying to determine ways to effectively leverage social media channels.

And with Twitter being one of the fastest growing social media tools of recent years, it’s a good place for hospitals to start.

For hospitals unsure of how to use Twitter to reach health consumers, SMUG (Social Media University, Global) blogger Lee Aase provides some examples of how hospitals have been using Twitter.