Health Care Trends With a Social Media Twist

September 2009 Blog Posts (11)

367 US Hospitals Now Use Social Media

Marketing Charts posted a really interesting article today that links to recent research by Ed Bennett, a hospital website manager who maintains a site devoted to social media use by hospitals.

The research found that of the 367 US hospitals currently using social media, 186 had YouTube channels, 190 had Facebook pages, 267 had Twitter accounts and 35 had blogs.

To view Ed Bennett's spreadsheet listing of all of the hospitals, you can check out today's article here:… Continue

Added by Ginger Lennon on September 30, 2009 at 4:28pm — No Comments

Question for health brand marketers - are you really satisfying your customers (with social media)

This post refers back to Are You Really Satisfying Your Customers, written by Scott Monty, at his Social Media Marketing Blog. Scott is the head of social media for Ford Motor Company.

Scott’s point is that as it becomes harder for consumers to distinguish one company’s offerings from another, customer service is one (remaining) way to create greater value and gain competitive advantage. And social media channels, particularly… Continue

Added by Eric Brody on September 28, 2009 at 8:01pm — No Comments

Ed Bennett, University of Maryland Medical Center: the future of health brands and social media

This is the first of many "Insider Insights" posts. Once a month, I'll be featuring the personal perspective of a health brand CEO, senior marketer, digital or social media expert. I'm pleased to have Ed Bennett as our first participant. Ed is Director, Web Strategy at University of Maryland Medical System.

Each of these guests will address the same four questions, so that we'll build a wealth of perspectives and knowledge around these four issues. Here's what Ed has to say about the… Continue

Added by Eric Brody on September 24, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

Medical Students Inappropriately Using Social Media

Medical students have joined the ranks of other young professionals grappling with how to engage in social media without threatening one's workplace reputation. In a study of 78 medical schools published this month in JAMA, researchers found that 60% of respondents reported unprofessional information was posted by students online. Thirteen percent of the incidents involved a violation of patient confidentiality.

Researchers recommended that medical school curriculum should include… Continue

Added by CaitlinW on September 23, 2009 at 8:05am — 1 Comment

FDA Hearing on Social Media Set for November

Well, better late then never. The FDA has scheduled a meeting for November 12/13 to address how to deal with social media. Make no mistake that this is a significant step forward as it's been a giant gray area for everyone involved. Manufacturers have dipped their toe into social media, some more then others, but have been hesitant to dive in fully since no direction has been given. Certainly, this is the beginning of a long process, but good progress none the less.

Let's just hope… Continue

Added by Dan Carter on September 22, 2009 at 11:35am — No Comments

Creating new health brand marketing opportunities by seeing what others don't

In the midst of a normal day of emails, phone calls, meetings, reports, and water cooler, Twitter and Facebook conversations, there’s not much time left for seeing things differently.

But the most successful companies do just that. They see what others don’t. They see a bigger picture, and thereby are able to think and do different things. They challenge conventions, connect the unconnected, see more opportunities to exploit, more ways to be different and more sources of future… Continue

Added by Eric Brody on September 22, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

Doctors and Nurses using Social Media

KevinMD.com posted an interesting article on the benefits of social media for physicians and nurses. The article adds that more patients are seeking information about healthcare online (more than 122 million in 2007!) than ever before and physicians need an online presence in order to continue running a successful… Continue

Added by Brittany McLaughlin on September 22, 2009 at 8:34am — No Comments

Using Healthcare 2.0 to Create Stronger In-Person Relationships

Many people argue that technology and "the cloud" hurt interpersonal relationships, but Dr. Natalie Hodge, head of Personal Pediatrics, is using technology to bring patients and doctors closer together by bringing back doctor house calls for pediatric patients.

In the current in-office visit model, pediatricians typically see 35 patients a day for about 10 minutes each. Armed with an iPhone and a cloud full of medical information, Dr. Hodge sees about 6-7 patients a day in longer… Continue

Added by CaitlinW on September 15, 2009 at 1:15pm — No Comments

Should President Obama use Social Media to Discuss Healthcare?

CNN questions President Obama's use of social media to explain his healthcare platform. Aside from issues with patient privacy, the reporter argues that with so many credible and (uncredible) voices online, it is incredibly difficult for the administration to control its message.

To that point, healthcare is currently a major issue and with so many people getting their news online and sharing it through new media channels, the healthcare debate would rage online with or without the… Continue

Added by CaitlinW on September 4, 2009 at 8:11am — No Comments

Tracking swine flu outreaks on your iPhone

There really is an app for everything, isn't there? According to CNET, "Outbreaks Near Me" allows iPhone users to track and report outbreaks of infectious diseases, including swine flu. It allows you to view a Google map of your specific area and even search other locations. While this app could initially cause some unnecessary panic, it seems to be a worthwhile app. For example, travelers can input their desired location to determine if there that spot should be avoided, or parents can decide… Continue

Added by Erica Frank on September 3, 2009 at 1:15pm — No Comments

Should you 'friend' your doctor on Facebook? CNN Asks

Interesting piece from CNN about "friending" your Doc on Facebook. Could help answer quick questions or speed up scheduling, but it’s another indication of the blurring lines between our personal and professional lives. The piece also explores the implications this type of activity has for insurance reimbursement. Is anyone on Healthcare 3.0 friends with their doctor?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/03/friending.your.doctor/index.html

Added by Shannon on September 3, 2009 at 12:21pm — 1 Comment