Healthcare Organizations’ Presence in Social Media

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Summary
Analysis
References

Introduction

Social media has become the central element of people’s lives and allowed organizations, including healthcare institutions, to connect with their clients. Healthcare organizations can benefit from this communication method by informing the communities about healthy lifestyles and disease prevention, as well as by explaining the specifics of the institutions’ work, which can help build customer relationships. This paper will present an analysis of six social media studies, two of which examine the healthcare industry, and summarize the findings that the communication practitioners can use to improve the online presence of their companies.

Summary

State health departments (SHD) use social media to interact with the community. However, it is necessary to determine whether the approaches used by these organizations are successful. In order to evaluate this, one must examine the social media profiles of these institutions and assess the presence of STDs, interactivity of their posts, reach, and the topic of their discussions. Thackeray, Neiger, Smith, and Van Wagenen (2012) discuss the application of social media in public healthcare and examine the efficiency of its use by conducting a cross-sectional study. The results suggest that sixty percent of SHDs have social media profiles, and the most popular platform among the respondents is Twitter. Despite these institutions posting frequently, the level of interactivity is insufficient. Despite the issues that were found by the researchers, there are examples of successful social media use by healthcare organizations.

Case studies of institutions that were able to establish a lasting relationship with the public through social media should be examined as they provide insight into understanding the specifics of public relationships Briones, Kuch, Liu, and Jin (2011) intervened fourth employees of the American Red Cross. The goal was to determine how this international organization leverages its social media when communicating with the public. The findings suggest that the Red Cross developed its approach to social media management – a two-way dialogue through which the establishment can hold successful conversations with the public and media. Additionally, an important note is that the Red Cross used Twitter and Facebook as the primary means of communicating with communities.

It is vital to building a relationship with consumers using the means of communication they prefer, and public relations managers should understand the changing patterns of social media use. According to Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, and Zickuhr (2010), the patterns of social media use among young and old individuals have evolved. A prime example is a decline in the use of blogs reported in 2006 among young people and an increase in this model’s popularity among adults. Hence, the results of this survey suggest a shift towards micro-blogging, which is a small status update instead of a large post. The results and conclusions were made using a survey of the Pew Research Center. Another significant issue is understanding the perception of social media platforms, especially popular ones, such as Facebook, and the statistics of use over the years.

Through a survey of American adults, the Pew Research Center’s researchers were able to determine the preferences of people who regularly use social media, more specifically, Facebook. Rainie, Smith, and Duggan (2014) examined the attitudes of users towards their social media presence and found that over sixty percent limited their use of Facebook for some time. Moreover, twenty percent of the respondents state that they used Facebook in the past but no longer login into this platform. Other findings of this research provide insight into the users’ reasoning for taking a break from Facebook – the majority decided to priorities other activities and had no time to use the site. This trend may suggest that people taking a break do not see a value in using social media, which requires further examination.

The fact that some people choose to avoid social media since they feel the need to prioritize other aspects of their life provides an implication for examining the benefits and adverse outcomes of social media use. Hampton, Goulet, Rainie, and Purcell (2011) research the issue of isolation caused by social media and the impact it has on relationships among individuals. The main results of the survey imply that the overall number of social media users has doubled since 2008. Moreover, the age of these individuals increased, suggesting that nowadays, social media is used by adults, which means that this is an essential form of communication for organizations. Facebook has an essential role in this since its users perceive the platform as beneficial for getting social support and connecting with people. This survey was conducted in 2011, and although its insights are valuable, a more recent study of use patterns can be helpful.

A newer study by Greenwood, Perrin, and Duggan (2016) suggests that social media has evolved to be more than a means of sharing personal updates. The findings, collected through the Pew Research Center survey, provide insight into the information that the users get from social media. An important outcome of this study is the fact that the majority of people in the United States use Facebook as their primary news source. Additionally, over 78% of the population uses the site, while other popular platforms include Instagram, Twitter, and Interest. The findings of this research suggest that despite the changing preferences of people regarding social media, Facebook continues to be a preferred platform. Moreover, its value has increased since people use it not only to communicate with close friends but also to form an opinion regarding an issue.

Analysis

The readings suggest that healthcare organizations often fail to use their social media accounts to their full potential and create a connection with their customers and communities. This may be a result of healthcare institutions only beginning to take advantage of their social media, and there is no standard best practice that one can use. However, examples from other industries suggest the need to improve themes and approaches to content creation since a lot of these accounts have a small following. One can argue that communication managers should dedicate more effort to creating and developing the social media profiles of their organizations.

Also, an important note is the changes in the users’ preferences regarding the social media platforms they choose. It appears that the general trend is to minimize the use of Facebook, which is consistent with the opinion that social media may have a harmful impact on one’s mental health. Despite this, the number of users and the type of information communicated through this platform changed over time, suggesting that one should always adjust the communication strategy based on the preferences of users. The communication practitioners can use the findings to build successful social media strategies since research supports the increasing importance and number of users of social media.

References

Briones, R., Kuch, B., Liu, B., & Jin, Y. (2011). Keeping up with the digital age: How the American Red Cross uses social media to build relationships. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 37-43. Web.

Greenwood, S., Perrin, A., & Duggan, M. (2015). Social media update 2016.Web.

Hampton, K. N., Goulet, L. S., Rainie, L., & Purcell, K. (2011). Social networking cites and our lives.Web.

Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr, K. (2010). Social media & mobile internet use among teens and young adults. Web.

Rainie, L., Smith, A., Duggan, M. (2013). Coming and going on Facebook. Web.

Thackeray, R., Neiger, B., Smith, A., & Van Wagenen, S. (2012). Adoption and use of social media among public health departments. BMC Public Health, 12(242), 1-6. Web.

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Introduction

Summary

Analysis

References

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