Thursday, August 02, 2012

Can Hospitals Recover From Their Social Media Fail?



So far social media marketing and customer relationship management has been a bit of a fail for hospitals. 

Debacles like:



Although more hospitals are establishing a presence on social sites like Facebook, less than 20% of the over 5,754 registered U.S. hospitals are on Facebook.

Instead of avoiding social media, hospitals need to figure out how to develop social media strategies that are:
  • HIPPA and HITECH Act Compliant
  • Appropriate in Scope and Interaction
  • Appropriate in Content



HIPPA and HITECH Act Compliant: The rule here is--the same patient privacy rules that make your hospital HIPPA and HITECH (electronic health records related) compliant are the same rules to follow online--know HIPPA!

Appropriate in Scope and Interaction: again, HIPPA and HITECH laws regarding patient privacy and the protection of patient electronic health records should shape the scope of a hospital's social media presence and  interactions with the public.  In other words, social media is not for discussing patient care or records; it could be for sharing other types of health-related information.

Appropriate Content: This is where hospitals can use social media as an opportunity to be content curators of health and wellness information that internet users value and build brand awareness and authority--why go to WebMD when Hospital Xs Facebook page can give you great info and direct you to qualified medical assistance from your Facebook page?

Hospitals are poised to take advantage of the social media space to connect with patients and the public to become valuable sources of health content as part of their digital marketing strategy.  They have a unique opportunity to innovate ways in which social media can serve people's health and wellness, online.




No comments: