When we look at the social media healthcare landscape, you will be surprised that very few healthcare organizations are active in social media platforms. This figure is very surprising because healthcare could immensely benefit through social media interaction and communication with consumers. It can improve the relation between healthcare providers and patients and can also be used to share information on topics like billing and insurance, staff recruiting and even early diagnosis and treatment.
Social media can change the very nature of the interaction between patients and healthcare providers on a personal level. Healthcare providers in order to enter new markets in third world countries had to depend on traditional third party research to understand the culture and business potential but now most of the research are being done through the internet and social media discussions.
Social media has grown beyond the stage where friends and family used to share their private messages, and it has now become a platform for serious discussions about technology and business.
Since social media generate user contents in the form of reviews on services and products, and it opens a bridge for business and healthcare providers to understand the pain points about their existing services.
Today discussions about personal health and health care treatments are no longer a private conversation, and patients are taking interest in their health and are sharing information about health and treatment issues with their network of friends. Now when the governments all over the world are taking measures to provide health care benefits to as many people as possible, healthcare and associated policies have become a major discussion topic and social media has become the main channel for sharing heath related information’s.
Many healthcare providers are now using social media channels to introduce new services and to educate patients on preventive care so that costs can be reduced. They are now providing information on preventive health, new therapeutic methods, and general health information’s and awareness campaigns.
Today healthcare organizations with high integration of social media channels in their marketing and communications strategy are doing much better than their counterparts. Now healthcare providers who are implementing this two-way communication channel with patients, physicians, and the community are seen as a symbol and come in the recommended category by the consumers.