Should Healthcare Facilities use Social Media?

Not too long ago, social media was a place to share pictures and interact with friends. However, social media has evolved beyond that. Social Media has become an ideal marketing tool as well as a customer service point of contact. It is no secret that waiting on hold to talk to a representative is something of the past; and what most people don’t know is that millions of companies provide customer support through their social media pages. From airline companies to technical support for your cellphone, social media has evolved businesses completely.

So how is social media helping the healthcare world? Aside from having a source of information in your newsfeeds, there are several benefits for healthcare facilities to jump on the band wagon. First and foremost, social media can help grow a business. Social Network sites can be a powerful tool if used to its full potential. Often times, social media is misunderstood and misused. With over 120 million people using the internet in the United States alone, reaching customer and their needs has changed.

According to an article posted on Forbes, the use of social media can motive employees. Publicly acknowledging good work by employees can go a long way and reiterate to the public the facility’s mission and vision. Medical facilities use social media to connect with the public. You can find pages loaded with pictures and articles of employees having fun, helping patients and doing good work.

Using social media can also create a bond with their “customers.” Hospitals and healthcare facilities serve communities as well as serve in communities. Many healthcare facilities will post events and activities around the community as well as happenings at the facility. You can find helpful health tips from physicians on YouTube as well as blogs and article postings throughout social media outlets. Having this platform has allowed not only healthcare facilities but businesses reach their customers on a whole new level.

Being connected to customers through social media is a huge advantage for healthcare professionals. Aside from sharing news at the hospital, facilities can experiment with different ways to engage the community. Fundraising, providing breaking health news, guest blogs and customer support are among the popular ways in which facilities engage in social media.

What do you think? Do you think social media is a fad or is it here to stay? Do you use social media for other reasons aside from connecting with friends and family? Do you think healthcare facilities should use social media to connect to their “customers?” Let us know what you think!