APMA News - January/February 2023 - 43

social media
your platform in this way, here are five tips to help
you start.
Promote Public Awareness
As a podiatrist, you have an immense platform to
help people understand the importance of foot
health. It's beneficial to keep audiences up to date
on new and current foot health issues. Showcase
how regular visits can positively impact patients'
health and prevent serious foot problems down the
line. People often overlook foot issues, and they
don't understand they can take steps to prevent
major foot complications and injuries. Regularly
using your platform to raise awareness about preventive
foot care provides valuable information to
those who need it most.
Be sure to participate in promoting national
awareness campaigns such as Diabetes Awareness
Month (November), Falls Prevention Month
(September), and Gout Awareness Day (May) to
further amplify the importance of foot health on
a larger scale. Be on the lookout for APMA's next
campaign-Foot Health Awareness-in April. APMA
will provide members with tools, resources, and
direct links to the campaign so resources can be
shared effectively with audiences via social media.
Combat Misinformation
In addition to the ability to share valuable content
at lightning speed, social media provides an outlet
for those with misleading agendas to spread inaccurate
information and opinions about health care.
You might have seen the questionable " bunion
corrector " device and other unsafe at-home foot
remedies flooding TikTok and Instagram recently.
Just imagine how many vulnerable people are
clicking on a sponsored ad about a supposed " bunion
corrector " that takes them to a website falsely
advertising a quick fix for bunions. People end up
spending money on products that could cause
further damage to their feet or lead them down the
wrong path when it comes to treatment options.
These misleading posts are dangerous and take
advantage of people with no knowledge of proper
medical treatment.
To tackle this issue, use your expertise as a podiatrist
and knowledge of medical literature to debunk
misleading information and encourage patients to
visit their local podiatrist for proper diagnosis and
treatment options. Only share information from
credible sources, such as reputable news organizations
and government agencies. Always review
and fact-check the evidence presented in articles
and posts before sharing anything on social media.
Be extremely mindful when resharing information
through Twitter, as it has recently undergone drastic
changes to its infrastructure that have significantly
compromised the credibility of the platform.
Never Give Direct Medical Advice
The only way for patients to get the best treatment
for their feet is to come into your office and
have their feet evaluated. If patients have medical
questions, refrain from giving them direct medical
advice via social media. When communicating with
a current or prospective patient, it's best to stick to
generalities that help patients feel confident about
coming in for an appointment. Your message
should always encourage them to schedule an appointment
with you or their local podiatrist to seek
recommendations for their unique issue.
Showcase Patient Testimonials
If you have any patients who are willing to discuss
the care you have provided them, try asking them
for testimonials. These statements can be shared
on your website or on social media as a way of
showcasing your quality of care. These testimonials
are short and sweet, providing a range of details
about what patients have experienced or learned
about their condition under your care. Testimonials
are an excellent way for potential patients to learn
about the results of your treatments, what kinds
of changes patients are noticing in their lives, and
what kinds of symptoms and concerns they had
prior to their appointment. Testimonials allow you
to highlight positive experiences with the practice
while making patients feel comfortable about
scheduling an appointment and seeking care.
Share the Benefits of a
Career in Podiatry
The patients you treat appreciate your knowledge
and expertise, but they're not the only ones who
appreciate what you do-your potential future
colleagues are grateful for you too! Through social
media, you can inspire eager students to follow in
your footsteps and pursue a rewarding career in
podiatry. You have the power to influence the future
of this profession by sharing your experiences
and giving students a peek into your day-to-day life
as a podiatrist. Join our student recruitment efforts
by helping to share resources from our Step into
Podiatry campaign available in the APMA online
student recruitment toolkit. We need more podiatrists
like you to continue to positively impact the
lives of patients across the nation. Visit www.apma.
org/recruitmenttoolkit for information.
APMA.ORG
apmanews
43
http://www.apma.org/recruitmenttoolkit http://www.apma.org/recruitmenttoolkit http://www.APMA.ORG
APMA News - January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - January/February 2023
