Social Media Use in Healthcare

1. Social Media for Marketing and PR

Social media is a powerful tool for promoting healthcare organizations and engaging with patients. By understanding and applying the beneficial ways in which social media can be utilized, healthcare managers can increase their visibility, build trust, and share valuable health information with the community. In this lesson, you will consider how social media offers an array of benefits for healthcare organizations, from promoting public health initiatives to improving patient outcomes and driving business success. You will explore the benefits of social media utilized to promote healthcare organizations.

Social media marketing in healthcare involves using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and others to promote healthcare services, engage with patients, and share health-related information. It includes creating and sharing content, interacting with followers, and using social media tools to reach a wider audience. Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful healthcare organization. In the past, healthcare providers often relied on traditional methods such as newsletters, phone calls, or in-person meetings to communicate with patients. However, these methods are time-consuming and often ineffective in reaching large audiences quickly. Social media platforms enable healthcare organizations to communicate with patients and communities in real time.

Social media allows healthcare organizations to share important updates, such as changes in office hours, new services, or public health alerts. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and health organizations used social media to keep the public informed about safety protocols, vaccine availability, and the latest health recommendations. Real-time communication helps prevent confusion and ensures patients have up-to-date information about their health needs and the organization's offerings.

EXAMPLE

Social media can be used to launch health awareness campaigns. A public health department might create a hashtag campaign, such as #GetYourFluShot, to encourage seasonal flu vaccinations. By partnering with influencers or healthcare professionals, these campaigns can reach a broader audience and help educate the public on the importance of preventative health measures.

Additionally, social media enables two-way communication between healthcare providers and patients. Patients can directly engage with healthcare organizations by asking questions, seeking advice, or expressing concerns. This immediate communication fosters transparency, trust, and a sense of community, which are crucial elements for patient satisfaction and loyalty. By responding promptly to patient inquiries and comments on social media, healthcare organizations can build stronger relationships and improve patient retention.

2. Importance of Using Social Media

Healthcare organizations should be engaging patients and clients on social media for several compelling reasons, ranging from enhancing patient experience to improving public health outcomes. Social media platforms offer an effective and accessible way for healthcare organizations to connect with their audience in real time, build trust, share valuable health information, and promote positive engagement. Next are some key reasons why it is crucial for healthcare organizations to embrace social media engagement.

2a. Improving Patient Communication and Accessibility

Social media provides a direct, accessible communication channel for patients to reach healthcare organizations quickly and easily. By engaging with patients through platforms like Facebook, X, or Instagram, healthcare providers can offer immediate responses to inquiries, schedule appointments, and provide updates on services or policies (such as office hours, COVID-19 protocols, or vaccination availability). This immediacy can help alleviate frustration for patients who may not be able to reach an office by phone or email, offering convenience that improves the patient experience.

Additionally, social media engagement allows healthcare providers to communicate important health updates and alerts in real time. This is especially critical in times of crisis or public health emergencies (e.g., the pandemic), where fast, accurate information is necessary to keep the community informed and safe.

2b. Providing Health Education and Information

Social media platforms are powerful tools for health education and information dissemination. Healthcare organizations can use social media to educate the public on various health topics, from preventative care and wellness tips to disease management and new treatments. By providing educational content such as articles, videos, infographics, or webinars, healthcare organizations can empower patients and the community to make informed health decisions.

EXAMPLE

Healthcare providers can share advice on managing chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension, preventive measures for common diseases, or the latest guidelines on immunizations. This education helps patients stay informed about their health needs, which can contribute to better outcomes, reduce the need for emergency care, and promote healthier lifestyles.

Social media also allows healthcare organizations to reach a broad and diverse audience, including underserved populations who may not have access to healthcare information through traditional channels. This can be especially important in promoting public health campaigns and encouraging behavior change in the wider community.

2c. Enhancing Brand Awareness and Reputation

Social media engagement plays a key role in building and maintaining the reputation of a healthcare organization. A strong social media presence allows healthcare providers to promote their services, values, and mission to a larger audience, which is crucial for brand recognition. Sharing positive patient experiences, highlighting staff achievements, and showcasing the organization’s contributions to the community can all help elevate the brand’s image.

When patients share their positive experiences on social media or tag the organization in posts, it increases brand visibility and enhances the organization's reputation. The more engaged patients feel with an organization, the more likely they are to endorse it publicly. This user-generated content serves as authentic, organic promotion that can attract new patients who are seeking similar experiences or care.

Moreover, social media allows healthcare organizations to actively manage their reputation by addressing negative comments or complaints in a timely and professional manner. This direct engagement helps prevent minor issues from escalating and shows that the organization is committed to resolving concerns and improving patient care.

2d. Cost-Effective Marketing and Outreach

Social media is a cost-effective marketing tool for healthcare organizations, particularly compared to traditional advertising methods like print media or TV commercials. Creating social media profiles, posting content, and engaging with patients require relatively low financial investment but offer a high return in terms of visibility and patient engagement.

Additionally, social media advertising allows healthcare organizations to target specific demographics based on factors like location, age, interests, and health conditions. This precise targeting ensures that marketing resources are used efficiently, reaching potential patients who are most likely to benefit from the organization’s services.

IN CONTEXT

North Hospital recently launched a new state-of-the-art maternity center and decided to use social media to raise awareness and attract expectant parents. To promote the center, they created a comprehensive social media strategy that spanned across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. First, they posted a series of behind-the-scenes videos on Instagram Stories showcasing the new, comfortable birthing suites, advanced medical technology, and the highly trained maternity team. These posts were complemented with patient testimonials, where new parents shared positive experiences from their births at the center. On Facebook, they hosted a live virtual tour of the maternity center, allowing followers to explore the facility, ask questions in real time, and get a sense of the hospital's welcoming environment.

They also created a hashtag campaign, #WelcomeBaby, encouraging expectant parents to share their pregnancy milestones or maternity photos, offering a chance to win a free prenatal class or maternity photo session. Influencers in the parenting and wellness space, including local mom bloggers, were engaged to create content about their experiences with the hospital's services, adding credibility and expanding the campaign's reach. Additionally, paid social media ads targeting women in the area who were expecting or planning to have a baby helped amplify the message to a broader, but highly relevant audience.

By leveraging social media in a strategic and engaging way, the hospital successfully built anticipation, informed their community about the new maternity center, and generated interest from potential patients. The campaign not only highlighted the hospital's advanced services but also created a sense of excitement and trust among future parents.

3. Considering the Younger Demographic

Social media usage varies widely across different demographics, influenced by factors such as age, gender, location, and socio-economic status. Younger generations, like Gen Z and millennials, are typically more engaged with platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, using them for entertainment, self-expression, and staying connected with peers. In contrast, older age groups, such as baby boomers, often favor Facebook for keeping in touch with family and friends or engaging with news and community content. Additionally, men and women might gravitate toward different types of content or platforms, with women often engaging more with visual and lifestyle-driven platforms, while men might lean toward more gaming, tech, or sports-oriented spaces. As social media evolves, each demographic tailors its usage to meet its own needs and interests, creating a dynamic and diverse digital landscape. For these reasons, PR and marketing plans must keep this in mind when deciding which population they want to reach.

key concept

It is absolutely important for healthcare organizations to use social media to engage a younger demographic. In today’s digital age, younger generations are the primary users of social media platforms. They are highly active online, spending significant amounts of time on social media channels. If healthcare organizations want to effectively reach and communicate with this demographic, leveraging social media is a critical strategy. Unlike older generations, younger people have grown up with the internet, smartphones, and social media. As “digital natives,” they are accustomed to using technology to access information, communicate, and make decisions. For them, the idea of engaging with brands, services, and healthcare providers through digital means is not only familiar but expected. Following are several reasons why engaging with a younger audience on social media is essential for healthcare organizations.

Social media allows healthcare organizations to meet the younger generation's digital expectations by providing accessible, timely, and relevant information that can be consumed on platforms they are already using. If healthcare organizations fail to engage through these platforms, they risk being overlooked or disconnected from the audience that is most likely to seek their services in the future. Many younger people turn to the internet first when they have health-related questions or concerns. According to studies, millennials and Gen Z are more likely than older generations to use social media as a source of health information. This demographic is also more inclined to look up health tips, treatment options, or medical advice online before seeking in-person consultations.

By establishing a strong presence on social media, healthcare organizations can be a trusted source of credible health information for these digital-savvy individuals. Providing accessible and accurate content on platforms like Instagram, X, or TikTok not only helps educate younger audiences but also builds trust with them, ensuring that they think of the organization when seeking healthcare services.

Mental health is a major concern for younger generations, and social media offers a unique opportunity for healthcare organizations to support mental health awareness and create a safe space for discussing mental health challenges. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are increasingly being used to raise awareness about mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, body image, and self-care. Healthcare organizations that actively engage in these conversations, offer resources, and provide support through social media can help normalize mental health discussions and reduce stigma. Additionally, creating content related to mental well-being (e.g., stress management tips, mindfulness exercises, or mental health resources) can provide much-needed support to young people who may not otherwise seek help in traditional healthcare settings.

EXAMPLE

Mental health professionals and organizations can create online communities on social media platform groups or chats to provide support and advice. These groups can offer a safe space for people to share experiences, ask questions, and access mental health resources. Healthcare providers might also use these platforms to promote awareness about mental health issues and reduce stigma through positive messaging and patient testimonials.

Social media is also an effective tool for promoting healthy behaviors, such as exercise, healthy eating, and good sleep hygiene, to a younger demographic. Younger people are more likely to engage with content that appeals to their interests, such as fitness challenges, nutrition tips, or trendy health fads. Healthcare organizations can leverage these interests by offering content that motivates and educates.

EXAMPLE

Providers could collaborate with influencers or use challenges and hashtags to encourage physical activity or promote nutritional guidelines in a fun and engaging way. This type of social media campaign can reach young people where they are, encouraging them to adopt healthier lifestyle choices.