There was an interesting English-language article posted on Wednesday on the website Med India. While it discusses specific trends and statistics in Indian health care settings, there is no reason why the information and recommendations cannot be generalized to Western countries and their health systems.

The article discusses the positive impacts that social media can have on patient health outcomes by connecting them virtually with their doctors and providing them with a steady stream of information relevant to their conditions and health concerns.

Since I represent a Los Angeles social media company, I’m constantly focused on current trends and new possibilities related to social media. But the attention of marketing professionals often tends to be dominated by the worlds of retail and public relations. These are the usual candidates for the services of a local social media company. But as I have tried to emphasize in various other blog posts, the functions of a local social media company are not nearly as limited as one might assume.

There is a good deal of discussion about the role of big data in the improvement of the American health system, but it seems as though even among Los Angeles social media companies, the role of their particular expertise is often ignored in that conversation.

If you are involved in the American health care industry, take a look at how social media is being used in India. Do you think there’s a similar role to be found in the US, or do you see another role for a local social media company in your field?