A few weeks ago I was awakened by my lovely alarm announcing the new workday, only to find myself with the worst sore throat and piercing migraine. Knowing I needed to be on my A-game for a client meeting, I pulled out my trusty iPhone and headed straight for the Interwebs to hunt for an immediate cure.
Sound familiar?
Well, we’re not alone. According to a report by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, 75 percent of people look to the Internet for medical information, and, get a load of this, Facebook was placed as the fourth most popular source.
With the Internet and social media becoming a portal for our healthcare needs, more and more members of the medical profession are embracing social media for providing patient care. Here are 3 social media trends in healthcare:
TweetChats
Live Twitter events, usually moderated and focused around a single topic at a specific time, are relatively commonplace in some industries, and healthcare is no exception. In November 2013, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center live tweeted a total knee replacement surgery, allowing more than 3,800 people to tune in and follow the surgery via Twitter. Live tweeting gives people insight into how procedures work for patients, students, and other medical professionals.
Self Improvement
Living in a digital age where profile pictures, selfies and #OOTDs are commonplace, our appearances have become of the utmost importance. Medical brands have taken to social media to serve as our personal nutritionists, therapists, and fitness instructors to motivate followers to live a healthy life style so they can look and feel their best. Jumping on trends such as #MotivationMonday, #TransformationTuesday, and #WorkoutWednesday provides people with easy tips to lighten up our meals, tighten up our bodies, and enlighten our lives.
Patient Engagement
With more ways for us to communicate than ever, it’s important for healthcare providers to take the opportunity and listen to what their patients and community members are saying. Studies show that 41 percent of patients say that social media affects their choice of provider in some way. Because of this, providers are utilizing social media as a way to communicate with patients regarding wait times, community crisis information, and services provided.
Want to dive in deeper to healthcare trends? Take a look at this slideshare provided by FSC VP Tiffany Starnes.