By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The Future of Health Is Social
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Social Media > The Future of Health Is Social
eHealthSocial Media

The Future of Health Is Social

Tracy Granzyk
Last updated: April 26, 2013 7:42 am
Tracy Granzyk
Share
4 Min Read
social media healthcare
SHARE

This post was originally published on Educate the Young.

This post was originally published on Educate the Young.

social media healthcareI recently came across an old blog post by Lee Aase, Director, Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, Move Over Dr. Google, the future of health is social. Aase, a long-time communicator in the political arena, has seemingly picked up the new tools of the trade with a flair all his own for healthcare. This particular post from 2011, alludes to the fact that Google may not have been hitting the core of how individuals will utilize health information in the future. His post significantly preceded Google folding their health business for good in January of this year.

Already a student and believer of the power of social media to change the way we experience health and illness myself, it’s always nice to have other expert communicators confirm those beliefs. For me, healthcare social media use (or #hcsm on Twitter) is less about the social support that traditional social media tools offer, such as people sharing the same illness connecting–which has tremendous value in and of itself. It is more about the reach, and the following opportunities social media can provide healthcare stakeholders on the whole. For example, social media tools offer:

More Read

health data security issues
How to Secure Data in Healthcare
Transforming Healthcare Through IT in Washington State
The HIPAA Omnibus Rule
Five Essential Moves to Transform Healthcare Marketing
The Health IT Scandal the NY Times Didn’t Cover

For Patients:

  • The ability to gather information in a relaxed setting
  • Access and information on research studies
  • Connections to new resources (peers, providers, educators)
  • Access to answers 24/7
  • Greater transparency to the care they are seeking
  • Behavior change (see ETY post, The Power of Social Networks to Change Health Behavior)

For Providers:

  • Inspiration
  • Training/Education
  • Support networks of their own
  • Ability to meet patients where they are and stay connected
  • Disease and outbreak tracking

It was, however, the following video in Aase’s old post that caught my eye and was my muse for this post, as I can’t help but applaud the growing value of YouTube as a tool for patient education and provider inspiration that I see becoming yet another benefit to the use of social media in healthcare.

In February 2013, Aase posted an article on Mayo Clinic’s Social Media Health Network, The “Right” Length for Health Videos, which summarizes a Google chat facilitated by Kathi Browne, a healthcare social media consultant. This is a timely discussion, as we are currently at work developing videos that convey patient safety information to associates without overwhelming their already overflowing inboxes. With so much competition for the attention of healthcare associates, what is the best way to get your message heard? We have chosen to go with short, sweet and humorous videos for internal education when possible. What successful strategies and tactics have you employed, beyond the traditional healthcare communication Tool Kits or inservices? Please share!

Here are some related tips gleaned from experience and reading of late!

  • Know your audience!
    According to Aase patients, will pay attention to longer videos, especially if it’s about a rare disease, as there is likely little information available. Overloaded associates will not have time to digest lengthy content. Give them meaningful highlights that both engage and educate.
  • Humor works!
    Make ‘em laugh, or make ‘em cry…
  • Tell a story that touches the heart!
    People will remember a story told from the heart much longer than slides from a PowerPoint deck. Talk to patients and providers about their experiences in healthcare and share those stories when appropriate.

(image: social media healthcare / shutterstock)

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Collaborating for Care Management Innovation

March 3, 2013
healthcare app development
eHealthMobile Health

Why Should a Healthcare Company Create Their Own App?

May 6, 2021
The Outreach Mindset: How Doing Crisis Care Improves Medical Practice
eHealthTechnology

The Outreach Mindset: How Doing Crisis Care Improves Medical Practice

July 26, 2018

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Passes Medical Marijuana Bill

March 31, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?