Many Hospitals and Group Practices are beginning to look at Social Media as a lifeline to patients and customers. Clearly the use of social media in the health sector has increased overt he last five years and as interest grows so does the risk/reward equation. Patient identity, patient records and employee interface all make the social media forum a place where risk management and marketing co-exist. As we look out across the internet we can see several applications that social media has for hospitals. Most prolific is sharing organizational news and services. This allows hospitals and groups to engage in social media without creating any new content. Sharing general news is a feature that allows healthcare organizations to post links to stories from local or national media outlets. Most hospital also host community event and social media is a great way to promote an upcoming blood drive. Success stories promote health and happiness and social media is an excellent outlet for stories about triumphing over illness or the success of an employee. Lastly, customer outreach and awareness shifts the hospital's focus to being aware of what patients and other consumers are saying about the facility and their experiences and then responding appropriately. Keep in mind social media can be used for so much more depending on the audience.
If you are thinking about entering the social media arena here are a few things to consider:
1) Develop a social media plan that outlines the organization's goals and intended audience in using social media.
2) Assign an individual or group accountable and responsible for posting content, monitoring usage, ensuring overall execution of the social media plan, and monitoring policy violators.
3) Define which staff other than the accountability group or individual may participate in the organization's official social media.
4) Identify which social media tools will be used to support the various goals listed in the social media plan.
5) Include social media in all HIPPA privacy training. Consider having staff sign a form after completion of the training.
6) Ensure that privacy policies specifically address the use of photos of patients, staff, volunteers, and visitors, and that use without authorization is prohibited.
7) Monitor social media for mentions, positive and negative, of the organization.
Hospitals and other healthcare organizations have begun to use social media in ways that attempt to meet consumer demand. In doing so, they must create and enforce social media plans that define how engaged the organization will be, who its audience will be, and who will be responsible for managing social media outlets, as well as establish policies and procedures for managing risks related to privacy, reputation management, and employment issues.
