Recently PwC Health Institute released a report entitled ‘Social media “likes” healthcare – From marketing to social business. The report examined how healthcare in the US and Social Media interacted.
These were some of the Findings:
- PwC believes that Social Media typically consists of four characteristics thathave changed the nature of interactionsamong people and organizations:user generated content,community, rapid distribution, and open, two-way dialogue.
- According to HRI’s survey, 42%of consumers have used social mediato access health-related consumerreviews (e.g. of treatments or physicians).Nearly 30% have supported ahealth cause, 25% have posted abouttheir health experience, and 20% havejoined a health forum or community
- Social media activity by industryorganizations is dwarfed byconsumer activity
- Healthcare businesses started tolisten, but aren’t translating socialmedia conversations into practice.
- Social marketing can evolve into socialbusiness with the right leadership andinvestment of resources
- Social Media enhances communications by creatinga comfortable, often anonymous, environmentfor engaging and exchangingSocial animals: Young invinciblesare most willing to share,baby boomers are least likely
- Based on age factor alone, the “younginvincibles” ages 18–24 lead with themost social media activity, while thebaby boomers ages 45–64 are least likelyto post or comment on any channel.More than 80% of individuals ages18–24 would be likely to share healthinformation through social media, whilenearly 90% of individuals would engagein health activities or trust informationfound via social media.
- Less than half(45%) of individuals ages 45–64 wouldbe likely to share via social media, while56% would be likely to engage.information.
- Opportunity for internal collaboration – And social media is becoming a platformfor internal discussions as well.“Our employees and physicians havehad fruitful and provocative discussionsusing IdeaBook, our internalsocial collaboration tool
- Marketing/communications leaderstend to manage social media strategies.
- Social media information is influencingdecisions to seek care. Forexample, 45% of consumers said informationfound via social media wouldaffect their decisions to seek a secondopinion.
- More than 40% of respondentsreported that information foundvia social media would affect the waythey coped with a chronic condition ortheir approach to diet and exercise
- Willingness to share informa‑tion depends on trust. Sixty-onepercent of consumer respondentsare likely to trust information postedby providers, and 41% are likely toshare with providers via social media,compared to 37% trusting informationposted by a drug company, and28% likely to share information witha drug company.
- Age is the most influential factorin engaging and sharing throughsocial media. More than 80% ofindividuals ages 18–24 would be likelyto share health information throughsocial media, while nearly 90% ofindividuals would engage in healthactivities or trust information foundvia social media.
- Less than half (45%)of individuals ages 45–64 would belikely to share via social media, while56% would be likely to engage inhealth activities.Consumers are willing to have theirconversations monitored if they getsomething in return. One-third ofconsumers surveyed said they wouldbe comfortable having their socialmedia conversations monitored if thatdata could help them identify ways toimprove their health or better coordinatecare.A new expectation is being set onresponse time.
- More than 75% ofconsumers surveyed would expecthealthcare companies to respondwithin a day or less to appointmentrequests via social media, while nearlyhalf would expect a response within afew hours.
- (HRI), hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceuticalmanufacturers can benefitfrom this new form of interactivecommunication
- HRI foundthat one-third of consumers are usingsocial media for health-related matters.Most tellingly, they are choosing“community” sites over industrysponsored sites
- More than 1,200 hospitals participatein 4,200 social networking sites (US data)
- As health organizationscollect more detailed information onits patients, proper safeguards will beneeded to ensure privacy and security
- Based on age factor alone, the “younginvincibles” ages 18–24 lead with themost social media activity, while thebaby boomers ages 45–64 are least likelyto post or comment on any channel.
- More than 80% of individuals ages18–24 would be likely to share healthinformation through social media, whilenearly 90% of individuals would engagein health activities or trust informationfound via social media. Less than half(45%) of individuals ages 45–64 wouldbe likely to share via social media, while56% would be likely to engage.
- The report examines online sites such as In the Rooms,Recovery Realm, and Addiction Tribe that provide virtualtools to supplement treatment programs by connectingindividuals to the support they need around the clock. The diagram below shows how a range of approaches are used to support the individual.
Recommendations from the report include:
- Embrace social media as amindset, not just a channel
- Take a disciplined approachto planning your investment
- Establish goals focused ontrust and transparency, notjust ROI
- Focus on being accessibleand relevant
- Internally – Shift from silos to networks
- Revamp processes to be relevantat the point of need
- Don’t just talk and listen; analyze and integrate
- Sift through the noise of socialdata
- Establish enterprise social media
- Create a forum to turn listening into innovation
- Collaborate across the industry
Viewpoint: While the report data is US based and the medical system in the US is highly privatised there are still some takeout lessons for Australian health organisations that need to get closer to their health consumers, provide better service, innovation and break down internal silos