One of the most impressive upsurges in the culture of the world in the last 10 years has been the emergence of the Internet bound Social Network. Everything from Facebook to Twitter has changed the way humankind interacts. The question is, can the very unique creature we know as “health care” actually put social networking to good use? There are many questions around this. Do hospitals and clinics really care about Internet exposure? 95%+ of their patients will come from within 50 miles of their facility. Transfers and referrals between organizations are usually at the recommendations of the physican or provider, not the patient. No one checks the online page of a hospital before they head into an emergency room. When a patient needs help, they call 911 and hope that where they are going is high quality.
That all being said….there is a HUGE market and opening for an agressive social marketing campaign from the health care world. Elective and ancillary services can be deeply researched by patients. Most patients (depending on insurance and pay components) are very excited about researching their options before going under the knife. The popularity of sites like WebMD and HealthTechnica are good indicators that John Q Public is very willing and wanting to take health out of the hands of the HMOs and insurance companies. Social networking gives them a power to connect with other people with like illnesses and directly learn about real world experiences with medical centers and even specific doctors.
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