Social Media Can Revolutionise Health Care Provider-Patient Relationship

Abstract

In a world where many of us live our lives on social media, or at the very minimum third party this interaction with our offspring, friends or colleagues, we are constantly connected. Health care providers are trained to interact with both colleagues and patients to enhance solitary medical knowledge and benefit from collective knowledge and experience. Patients are encouraged by medical professionals to share details about their ailments in a bid to make a diagnosis. Patients frequently trade information and stories in the clinical waiting room and more recently on social media. As social media users, many of us are growing increasingly accustomed to sharing personal information online. Patients today are actively engaging online with other patients and family members regarding treatment, ailments and other health-related issues. This interaction needs to be harnessed to provide valuable feedback about treatment and services. Patients and their families are actively engaging with technology to empower themselves in unprecedented manner both socially and ‘professionally’ (i.e. simply to exchange knowledge and experience). About 60% of doctors surveyed in a recent survey by McGowan et al. said social media improves quality of care 1. Social media is an innovative yet economical way for caregivers and health care systems to use technology to connect with patients. Through social media, clinicians can contribute to a more transparent and patient-centric model of health care. And as policy progresses to catch up with technological innovation, social strategies in health care should become more widespread. Clinicians and health care providers who maintain a proactive social media presence have transparent access to information on issues and events that could lead to better health outcomes. Many of today's social media tools provide background analytics that can provide significant feedback with respect to the success or otherwise of any social marketing strategy. Health care has yet to completely embrace social media as a tool for enhancing patient–caregiver interaction. If however social media is embraced and used to enhance this social interaction, then better metrics and analysis tools will be readily available to assess its potential in this arena. Communication, feedback and superior service in health care can be significantly enhanced through the incorporation of an integrated social media strategy.