How Patients Are Using Social Media
A majority of your patients’ healthcare decisions are influenced by social media.
1 in 3 American adults have used the web to figure out a medical issue. (source Pew Research Center study)90% of respondents from 18 to 24 years of age said they would trust medical information shared by others on their social media networks. (source: Search Engine Watch)53% of 18 – 24 year olds, and 49% of 25-44 prefer social media for healthcare reviews (source: PWC Scoring Healthcare)48 percent of respondents said they have read healthcare reviews
Among those who have read healthcare reviews, 68 percent said they have used the information to select a doctor, hospital and to a lesser extent, a health plan, pharmacy and drug or medical device. (source: PWC Scoring Healthcare)
“Social” Already Influences Patient Decisions
In fact, they’re already using it to “shop around” for the best physicians, hospitals, and practices.
41% of people said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. (source: Demi & Cooper Advertising and DC Interactive Group)51% of patients say they’d feel more valued as a patient via digital health communications (source: Televox)41% of people said social media would affect their choice of healthcare provider (source: Demi & Cooper Advertising and DC Interactive Group)More than 40% of consumers say that information found via social media affects the way they deal with their health. (source: Mediabistro)
Patients Want Healthcare to Engage
The good news is that patients want healthcare organizations to help them make better decisions.
30% of adults are likely to share information about their health on social media sites with other patients, 47% with doctors, 43% with hospitals, 38% with a health insurance company and 32% with a drug company. (source: Fluency Media)60% of social media users are the most likely to trust social media posts and activity by doctors over any other group. (source: Infographics Archive)49% of those polled expect to hear from their doctor when requesting an appointment or follow-up discussion via social media within a few hours. (source: HealthCare Finance News)40% of people polled said information found on social media affects how someone coped with a chronic condition, their view of diet and exercise and their selection of a physician. (source: HealthCare Finance News)
Unfortunately, Healthcare is Not Responding
However the bad news is that healthcare practices are not seizing this golden opportunity.
Only 26% of all U.S. hospitals participate in social media. (source: Demi & Cooper Advertising and DC Interactive Group)Only 31% of health care professionals use social media for professional networking. (source: MedTechMedia)The average cost of a normal birth in California was $22,311 in 2010. (source: Childbirth Connection)No doubt that number has risen in the past few years. And what about the second or third child? The lifetime value of a patient or family in this case could be over a hundred thousand dollars for every doctor and hospital involved.
– See more at: http://disabilityinsuranceagency.com/blog/healthcare-is-failing-social-media/#sthash.xOfUrCoh.dpuf
Sourced through Scoop.it from: disabilityinsuranceagency.com
See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media And Digital Health
Health Care Social Media 