Social Media’s Impact on Patients and Their Relationship with Healthcare Professionals

It’s no secret that social media has transformed the landscape of how we obtain information. This is true for news, but even more so for health-related topics. One systematic review showed that social media not only had a tremendous impact on patient perceptions and health knowledge, it also affected the relationship between the patient and the healthcare professional. Social media use by patients led to more equal communication between the patient and the healthcare professional and also an increase in the switching of doctors. 

Social media offers a new dimension to health care. It acts as a conduit for communication about health issues, provides community support, and a social construct for patients to educate themselves about their health. 

As healthcare professionals, our job is to maximize patient health, not necessarily to sway influence over the internet ethers. However, more and more people are beginning to understand how important it is to have an online presence for your patient base and prospective patients. 

Building an online presence can be done in a number of ways, and includes health messaging through social media posts, live webinars, wellness blogs, email letters and much more. For more information about turn-key marketing solutions for healthcare professionals, click here.