With more people turning to the Internet for everyday services and answers to questions, Albert Lea Medical Center is making more of an online presence.

In July, ALMC got its own YouTube page, and then just two weeks ago, it started its own Facebook page, following in Mayo Clinic’s footsteps. Mayo Clinic’s YouTube channel was started in June of 2006 and has built a following.

It includes videos about Mayo’s latest research and treatment advances, including interviews with the doctors who make it happen.

While ALMC’s site is in the early stages, community relations staff have posted a video tour of the newer part of the facility and its capital campaign commercial.

On the page, people can send messages to ALMC staff, make comments and share the channel with others.

The www.facebook.com/almedcenter or go to ALMC Facebook pageincludes the same tour video, information about upcoming events and spaces for discussion boards and reviews.

Each of the Web sites provides general information about the location of the medical center and a link back to the main hospital site.

“We’re really excited about it and we think medical center staff are excited too,” said Community Relations and Marketing Specialist Jennifer Levisen.

Levisen said the community relations staff recently attended a public affairs conference on social media where they learned about the importance of using the Web to reach out specifically to the generation of people ages 15 to 28 and to other Internet users.

Just can’t wait to get on the ’Net again

To find Albert Lea Medical Center’s channel on YouTube, go to www.youtube.com/almedcenter

To find Albert Lea Medical Center’s page on Facebook, click here www.facebook.com/almedcenter or go to www.facebook.com and type in “Albert Lea Medical Center” under search.

Su Madson, ALMC web coordinator, said according to icrossing.com, 34 percent of consumers go to a form of social media for their health information. Forty-six percent go to health portals, and only 10 percent go to hospital and clinic sites for their information.

“You have to go where your consumers are,” Madson said.

Levisen said after the medical center started offering online bill pay and other online services with success, it couldn’t pass up the opportunity to engage people with another online outlet.

“It seems so un-Mayo-like, but they’re very into it, and finding results,” said Patti Hareid, director of community relations.

Eventually the community relations staff hopes to add groups on Facebook to allow people with similar interests or diagnoses to interact, such as a pediatric parents group, a obstetrics/gynecology group or a cancer group.

“That’s one thing we’re very excited to do,” Levisen said.

They could even include a tour of areas such as The Baby Place, interviews with medical center staff or more in-depth tours of specific parts of the facility.

Like other businesses, ALMC could even use Facebook for recruitment.

“That’s where we’re starting,” Hareid said. “We’re excited about the possibilities.”