Social media: How well does it work in health care?

Adapting to health care’s needs

But no matter how useful these sites may be to the organization, certain planning has to be done to account for the two-way nature of the web, as well as regulatory loopholes that might not be obvious at first.

For example, on a Facebook page, users can comment on any story a hospital or practitioner posts. That includes negative ratings and complaints or even specific patient information — a potential HIPAA nightmare in the making.

Or, a pharmaceutical company or other health care organization providing information on a new drug, medical procedure, etc. will need to find a way to include all required information on risks, side effects, and other data — while still managing to create an attractive, readable page for patients and potential clients.

Social media can be an effective tool for health care organizations — as long as they find the tricky balance between the needs of their patients, the true cost of the resources it will take to meet them, and the long-term benefits to the organization.

Has your organization begun using social media sites to interact with its community? Share your experiences in the comments.