By Mae Basiratmand, MS, RN

The need to institute incisive and resonating social media content in the healthcare sphere is past-due. The last decade has been a dynamic time social media became a vital source of information and news, often rivaling traditional mediums. Due to regulations and barriers in the healthcare industry, a synergistic relationship between healthcare and social media ceased to exist. Unlike social medias ease of usability in retail, media, and e-commerce, healthcares regulations create a difficult environment to traverse especially considering healthcare is highly regulatory with a history of lengthy approval time for publicizing any medically-related information. As consumer behaviors shift alongside the increasing autonomy and accessible knowledge made available by smart phones, consumers now regard social media as a more trustworthy source of information over traditional marketing communications where implementing and maintaining a social media strategy is considered a central business initiative.

With countless avenues to explore and discuss the purpose, benefits, and navigating the red tape of social media use (like leveraging user-generated content for celebrated stories, selling products, and even auditing channels for hiring new talent), social media can assist in mitigating timely concerns emerging in todays health climate. According to PwCs report on social media and healthcare, information shared on social media can directly influence a patients decision to choose a specific provider or seek a second opinion. A Pew Research article also noted that the most engaged audiences on social media are individuals who are coping with a chronic condition or disability, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or people who have recently experienced a medical emergency. Healthcare leaders need to ask key questions that address many healthcare mission statements and reach the core of this industry: how are patients looking to social media for health information and what can my organization do to inform the public?

The consistent news cycle revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic has altered consumer behavior with more heavy reliance on digital channels as a consistent source of information reinforcing the need for businesses to act quickly and share information rapidly. Organizations can benefit from using social media in enhancing brand awareness as well as achieving fundamental business goals of patient satisfaction, engagement, referrals, and knowledge. Social media enables organizations to also provide instant feedback that can be given 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can cover content areas such as changing policies, changes in leadership, information on how organizations are adapting, a need for resources, or even victories. Since social media has shifted the power from businesses to consumers (where they can share positive or negative experiences with products or brands with a world-wide audience) organizations need to gracefully contribute to this narrative and use its powers to combat misinformation, announce crisis communications, nurture engagement between the practice/organization and patients, and show humility.

However, including social media as a business tactic presents challenges, especially in relation to HIPAA compliance and the ongoing responsibility of online reputation management. These regulated areas need to have established guardrails and protocols for different scenarios, similar to how crises plans are set in place for an array of scenarios. Social medias only guarantee is the ever-changing nature of the channels where plans need to be both flexible and comprehensive. Many healthcare organizations are ill-equipped to manage the real-time feedback loop or even tap into the potential of social media to impact patient choices, care, and satisfaction. Post-pandemic, when more research is readily-available, organizations will be forced to acclimatize to new trends and the new remote lifestyle thats emerged as the new norm.

As a marketing manager and guest lecturer in numerous marketing and strategy courses in FAU Executive Educations healthcare-specialized courses, I have been able to share my experiences from nursing and leading global pharmaceutical marketing and social media campaigns centered on lead generation and brand and disease-state awareness. In Florida Atlantic Universitys (FAU) Executive Master of Health Administration and MBA in Healthcare Administration program, students are immersed with well-timed examples and real-world scenarios including social media case studies used for various businesses. In the coursework, students explore diverse topics from how the shifting digital marketing landscape can shape brand allegiance to how mass implementation of technology has paved the path for telehealth. In the classroom, students learn from industry practitioners and network with fellow students who hail from backgrounds including medicine, nursing, social work, business, administration, and many others. As part of the educational journey, these conversations lead to rewarding collaborations and an exchange of ideas that help professionals finesse their team dynamics, reinforce strategic acumen, and drive organizational growth. Ultimately, there is a need for adept and forward-thinking healthcare leaders who understand the value of social media as a communication channel and a tactic to strengthen trustworthiness among patients and organizations.

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