You know the drill: Schedule an appointment, go to the doctor's office, sit in a waiting room, sit in a smaller room, meet with the nurse, wait a little more, and then finally talk to your doctor.

This routine, although tried and true, may evolve as technology--specifically social networking--begins to saturate the medical community.

Now consider: Log into Twitter, find your doctor and ask a question about your new prescription--all in 140 characters or less.

Although not applicable for all doctor visits, social networking may increase your access to expert advice, strengthen communication with your doctor and boost your health support system.

Doctors are also turning to Twitter from the operating room to update family members about surgery procedures. Hospitals such as Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO., and Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI., are among a handful of hospitals now experimenting with social networking to connect patients, doctors and the community.

Stepping forward to help is Hello Health, a secure online, paperless "concierge" practice based in Brooklyn, NY, that uses email, instant messaging and video chat to sustain an online medical dialogue. 

As the medical community begins to adopt online social networking tools, the priority must remain high on ensuring patient and doctor privacy, confidentiality and accuracy.

What do you think? Should doctors be tweeting? Should medical advice come to you on your Facebook or Twitter account?

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