The Emergence of Social Media in Healthcare
December, 2013
Overview The Affordable Care Act is bringing a shift in the healthcare industry by forcing healthcare organizations to focus on reducing the cost of treatment and increasing the quality of health outcomes. As a result, organizations are moving from the volume-based model to a value-based system. As part of this movement, the financial incentives to improve patient outcomes will revolve around illness prevention. Organizations such as providers and health insurers are beginning to see patients and members as other industries do – as consumers. The healthcare industry is seeking out ways to improve customer satisfaction and increase engagement. As a result, the healthcare industry is already beginning to reach out to consumers in the same way that has proven successful for so many other consumer industries – with social media. Although the healthcare industry as a whole has been fairly slow to react to the emergence of social media, hospitals and other healthcare organizations are beginning to adopt social media and incorporate related tools to supplement and better their healthcare offerings. Healthcare organizations today use social media predominantly as a marketing and communications tool to improve their online presence and image. Most healthcare organizations are using social media for patient engagement, customer education, customer service, and community outreach. Although many organizations are still trying to understand why social media matters and where it fits into their marketing plans, others want to know where to get started and how to build and maintain a successful platform to achieve their healthcare goals. Health Information on the Internet1 However, as more and more Americans get access to internet and are increasingly becoming active on the internet, the population that leverages social media for health information is also growing.
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Green Buzz Agency
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Social Media in Healthcare Healthcare organizations have started to see the impact of using social networks to connect with consumers, educate patients on their products and services, allow stakeholders to demonstrate clinical expertise, and build credibility. Currently, most social media activities in healthcare revolve around driving patient conversations, engaging consumers, and managing personal health records. Amongst healthcare stakeholders, providers, independent organizations, and consumers themselves are at the forefront in driving these activities and creating platforms for everybody to participate in. Online Patient Communities Patients are using social networking sites and message boards to form online communities that drive conversations on diseases, treatments, and inputs to medical research. In 2007, the not-for-profit advocacy group WomenHeart partnered with the online patient community Inspire to create the WomenHeart Support Community website for women with heart conditions. Social platforms like PatientsLikeMe have expanded to more than 1,000 conditions and CureTogether has gained the attention of major press outlets2. Both PatientsLikeMe and 23andMe have published results in medical journals, bringing further validation to social networks and social media as having legitimate contributions to medicine2. Personal Health Records Portals Personal health record service site like Zweena Health is using Facebook, Twitter, and other outlets to create awareness about personal health records and why patients should take control of their information. Users of this platform also include health systems that are forward-thinking in terms of encouraging consumers to have their health records before they get to the hospital. Patient engagement Platforms Many healthcare organizations are reaching patients online through hospital websites. The University of Maryland Medical Center's "Life in a Medical Center" focuses on hospital events, patient stories and timely topics. Hospitals also are reaching out to online communities to engage them in the care process, including research. Facebook is also becoming a key tool in patient engagement with encouragement from hospitals to post patient stories. Notable Healthcare Social Media Success Stories Several organizations have been early adopters of social media and have leveraged this trend to better their marketing and communication with the consumers. Providers and health insurers that have been successful through this medium have embraced social media and made it a part of their business strategy rather than just a communication tool. Mayo Clinic - The Mayo Clinic is the gold standard for the use of social media by healthcare organizations. The organization has its own center - The Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media [MCCSM]-dedicated to social media, which facilitates the use of social media throughout the Mayo Clinic and also works to help other hospitals, professionals and patients use social media to promote health education, health literacy and healthcare delivery worldwide.
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iHeartBeat.org
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The Mayo Clinic has the most popular medical provider channel on YouTube and more than 450,000 “followers� on Twitter. They also an active Facebook page with over 300,000 connections. A pioneer in blogging, Mayo has a News Blog, Podcast Blog and Sharing Mayo Clinic, a blog that enables patients and employees to tell stories about their Mayo Clinic experience.
Health Care Service Corporation - Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), a health insurance company, has been using Facebook and Twitter to reach out to its markets and expand relationship with members. For e.g. the company actively monitors customer messages on its twitter account and provides fast responses to any customer service related issues.
The Nebraska Medical Center - Nebraska Medical Center has an extensive YouTube presence with 292 videos that have generated more than 400,000 views. Nebraska not only posts its marketing video collateral, but also showcases individual patient stories. For example, patients tell their own stories of battling with various diseases. The video also highlights the solutions provided by the center to mitigate the health issues. Through these videos, the Nebraska Medical Center provides a human touch to real life health problems.
Scripps - Scripps Hospital uses social media for customer service. At Scripps, there is a position that carries the title of "Electronic Customer Service Representative". The ECSR responds to online views and tweets directed at the hospital. This allows Scripps to build online credibility and reputation while connecting to patients.
Legal Issues in Using Social Media in Healthcare The lack of regulatory actions and specific guidelines on social media usage in healthcare is leading to an uncertainty in usage of social media due to potential legal issues. Potential issues revolve around privacy, unauthorized activities, and intellectual property challenges. In this scenario, organizations need to take a cautious approach to leveraging social media in their business model. Key issues organizations face are:
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Obstacles to Using Social Media in Healthcare Despite the popularity of social media, many organizations are still cautious of jumping onto this emerging trend. Apart from the legal issues, there are several perceived obstacles that prohibit organizations from adopting social media as a means to reach consumers. Purpose - Many organizations see social media as only a marketing and communication tool rather than a business strategy. Executives are still seeking validation on the success of social media and the importance of integrating it within their core business strategy. However, organizations successful with social media have a dedicated business strategy to leverage the opportunity to reach out to the community. Return on investment - The use of social media in healthcare is still a new phenomenon and is evolving as organizations take different approaches to meet their goals. As a result, there is no consistent evidence regarding the financial returns from social media activities. Due to this uncertainty, several organizations may not move ahead with investments in social media initiatives. Resources - A cohesive social media strategy requires dedicated manpower with specialized skills along with supportive IT infrastructure. Stakeholders, especially providers, who are lean on staff and IT spend power may not be receptive to taking up social media initiatives due to cost factors. Demographics - Social media is used more by younger population as compared to older adults, who are actually more likely to be decision makers in health matters. This may not lead to expected returns on social media efforts. Outlook Although social media is still in the evolutionary stage in the health care industry, it is on its way to becoming an integral part of marketing and communication strategies of organizations. Patient engagement will remain the focus of social media related initiatives. Organizations and stakeholders will enhance their participation in and drive online patient and consumer communities. Despite legal challenges and other obstacles to adopting social media, this trend is here to stay.
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