7 Reasons Health Care Professionals Need Social Media

By Veronica Cruz

Social media has basically become an essential part of modern society. Few of us could live without constant communication with friends and family.

So does really social media has an effect on the health care industry?

An Unlikely Combination

At first glance, you may think it is crazy to combine health care and social media. After all, social media is…social. And health issues tend to be very personal.

We all know social media is good for Throwback Thursday pictures of a now-teenager back when she had adorable pigtails and freckles. But what about a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome? Is that worthy of social media?

The connection between social media and health care is actually much more relevant than you may think. In fact, rapid healthcare app development and the impact of social media are pretty much essential to your success as a health professional.

Below jatapp.com social media experts explain six reasons why you need to be active on social media.

  1. In a recent study, 90% of participants in the 18-24 year-old age range report they trust medical information shared via social media.

     

That’s a high percentage of young adults using social media to answer medical-related questions. So how does this affect you as a health professional?

There’s plenty of false information out there on the web, so take this opportunity to start spreading accurate information. Since social media has become a trusted source of information, do your part to make it as trustworthy as possible.

Dr. Brent Agin, a preventative medicine specialist, uses his blog and social media accounts to raise awareness about misconceptions in the preventative health arena. For example, the latest health trends make it seem vitamin B12 injections are only used for weight loss; in reality, the nutrient is used to treat and prevent major health issues.

  1. 31% of health care professionals already make use of social media specifically for professional networking. 

Professional development is no longer restricted to the classroom or boisterous conference halls. If you want to connect with an expert in your field, you can easily do so on social media.

Allied professionals, nurses, pharmacists, and physicians are all using social media to connect with others and enhance their job search.

  1. Nearly half of patients polled expect to hear back from their doctor through a social media site within a few hours. 

This statistic is surprising for two reasons. First, the majority of patients are turning to social media to do things like schedule appointments and follow up on an office visit.

Second, they expect quick responses! As frustrating as it may seem, if you truly want to offer great patient care, you’re going to have to rethink traditional methods of communication.

According to Kelly Colbert, director of strategic advertising at WellPoint, “Truly social brands will listen to what customers are saying…and use that insight to adapt.

  1. More than half of hospitals across the nation use social media.

Since over half of all hospitals in the US now make use of social media sites, you are considered behind the times if you don’t. Using social media to keep in contact with any past patients or even present ones can open up lines of communication for the hospital – which can lead to significant bonds of trust between hospital and patient.

Most doctors consider social media as the way to increase the quality of care delivered to patients.

  1. Parents use social media like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube to find medical answers. Non-parents also use the same social media for healthcare topics. 

Parents always put their children first, and they’ll use whatever resources they can to help answer any questions they may have. Now with social media, parents have more resources than ever, so make sure to spread proper information.

  1. The podcast of the Mayo Clinic grew by 62 million listeners after the clinic started using social media. 

This is one of those examples of a correlation actually equaling causation. Because the Mayo Clinic started using social media, their listeners increased tremendously. As a result, it can be inferred that increasing the use of social media provides health care professionals additional exposure and opportunities to inform.

For example, daily exercise podcasts are among the most popular as showing so many health and emotional benefits including ways to decrease your blood pressure, promote cardiovascular wellbeing, alleviate stress, assist with weight loss, help to build strength and blood sugar control.

The number of weekly listeners grew by an estimated 62 million Americans, and Dr. Halena Gazelka, medical director, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, uses this podcast as a way to help people not only in the United States but all around the world. 

  1. Covid-19 healthcare digital transformation

Certainly, healthcare is not the only industry that has gone through vital changes. Today is hard to find a business that would not be affected by COVID-19, but it is important to understand that for many companies and industries this has become a reason to rethink their approaches to work.  Regardless of the industry, a business’s online presence is crucial for its success. During these times of crisis, social media might be the best way to stay connected and provide minute-by-minute information to consumers.

It’s important to note the fact that most hospitals use social media channels because time, staff, and budget are always limited, and your social media efforts need to be focused and focused on where your organization can make the most impact.

In the age of social media, it’s for the best of the healthcare field to grow with the times and embrace the newest trend of using social media to speak directly in an open forum with patients and clients.

Interesting Related Article: “How To Excel In The Healthcare Industry”