Social media in healthcare
Social Media (SM) provides a convenient platform for reaching patients with important medical information, and at the same time capturing data for future use.
Social Media is a perfect platform to share important health and medical information. This allows patients and the general public greater and easier access to medical information.
It also gathers real-time research and insights keeping the user informed of changes in order to monitor the reach of information and its effectiveness.
Medical Practitioners are provided with the ability to share information, debate health issues, promote health awareness, enhance professional networking, promote patient care and public health campaigns as social media has become, ‘the norm’ in everyday life.
Whether in a private capacity or a professional one, social media provides networking across various channels and thus aids in the formation of relationships. Patients are empowered by being able to access information boosting the patient and Doctor interaction.
Health awareness can be promoted, offering patients medical care and advice, advancements in technology and equipment, and treatment options from specific facilities cost effectively, timeously, and reliably.
Thus, social media is displaying growth in the medical industry. Interacting online is becoming the preferred way of communication pathway between the patient and the medical practitioner to provide health information, monitor a health condition, encourage behavioural and lifestyle changes.
In addition, and most importantly, accurate, evidence- based information can be provided negating many of the false, inaccurate information that patients often encounter when using online resources.
Distribution of information, whether a video, blog, Facebook or LinkedIn delivers credible information that can make a significant change in patient behaviours for instance tobacco cessation, ante-natal care, alcohol sobriety or weight loss management.
What are benefits of social media?
– Building relationships –social media is not just about brand awareness and generating more business but also about networking and cementing relationships
– Expertise- social media (SM ) provides an opportunity to express your wants and requirements and what you would like to be known for
– Visibility – increasing visibility increases your brand awareness, information, and patients’ campaigns
– Education – for yourself or your patients
– Availability – to be able to connect at any time of the day or night
Different platforms offer different features and finding which platforms works best for you is encouraged whether it incorporate videos, blogs, photo- sharing, case histories or simple posts.
• Social networking (Facebook, Instagram, Tic Tok, Google Plus, Twitter)
• Professional networking (LinkedIn)
• Media sharing (YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest)
• Content production (blogs [Tumblr, Blogger] and microblogs [Twitter])
• Knowledge/information aggregation (Wikipedia, pubmed, Elsevier)
Statistics have proven that participation in social media has increased sharply over the last 10 years increasing from 8% to 72% across all ages and professionals globally enhancing practice image, visibility, reputation, and speciality.
We can now establish that social media is a very powerful marketing tool that can quickly spread accurate information to large numbers of people to facilitating progress towards public health goals in a practical, Profitable, and worthwhile way.
As the healthcare sector is totally unique and faces many challenges and disputes, a thorough knowledge of this profession is required to fully address the many diversities and maximise on a marketing strategy that will yield desired outcomes and results. Understanding patients’ needs and expectations is beneficial and conducive to cementing your reputation, brand awareness and speciality.
However, patients demand understanding, empathy, sensitivity, patience, caring and kindness along with attention and recognition. They want to be heard and listened to. Stress levels are often heightened as anxiety levels and fear escalate and for that reason, accuracy, consistency, meticulousness and staying within the health care regulations needs to be addressed when using any social media platform.
We have thus established that social media has become a vital health information centre, but one does need to be aware that misinformation can exacerbate further apprehension and consternation amongst patients.
It is therefore crucial for healthcare professionals to ensure that misleading or incorrect information is not spread. It is similarly important to ensure that the correct information is disseminated in a way that is understandable to all. This is accomplished, as stated above, through effective marketing.
On the upside SM offers many advantages over traditional data sources including real time data, ease of access, faster delivery system reaching many more potential patients in a very short space of time.