July 18, 2018
Social media is often thought of as a purveyor of questionable “news,” but it can also provide insights into health-care needs, and help bring patients into contact with doctors, according to recent reporting in Forbes.
“Eighty-eight percent of physicians and other healthcare providers use social media and the internet to research medical devices, pharmaceutical information, and biotech data,” writes Andrew Arnold. “Just like professionals in other fields, doctors can use social media as a tool to reach out to other specialists. They can explore the social media pages of pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers. They can even follow the blogs of other practitioners to learn more about their experiences.”
In addition, Arnold notes the marketing help that social media gives health-care practitioners. He points out that physicians, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and health insurance providers are using social media for publishing recent research, educating health-care consumers, directing consumers to their web sites, posting case information, photos and outcomes (with HIPAA authorization) and sharing patient reviews and testimonials, among other uses.
