Social Media and the Medical World

At McCauley Services we often discuss how beneficial social media can be for businesses’ digital presence and marketing strategy.  More and more people are going online to find the information they seek. Specifically in the medical field, many individuals first look online for health information, physicians, local clinics, etc. before ever seeing an actual doctor. These things provide a patient with education and a chance to get to know the personality, experience and reputation of medical providers before choosing them as a physician.

As the medical world continues to adapt to the ever evolving digital age, whether through telemedicine, electronic medical records, or health and wellness apps for smart phones, physicians will be able to use these advancements to provide optimal healthcare to their patients.

A recent case study from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota showed how a doctor was able to use a patient’s Facebook profile (with their consent) to determine the cause of their stroke. By looking at recent photographs on her Facebook page the doctor was able to provide the patient with an accurate diagnosis. Previously, doctors would have to use a patient’s driver’s license or other photos brought in by the patient to look for facial differences that may help provide information for the doctor about the patient’s condition.

Although this is one specific example, it shows how social networks are not only helpful for patients but also how social media can be an efficient tool for doctors, too.  Despite the potential of social media and medicine, the idea is still new and issues such as patient’s privacy need to be addressed due to the ever changing HIPAA laws and consideration to the patient’s personal information.

For more information about social media marketing and the other services McCauley Marketing Services provides, please contact us. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+ for the latest marketing tips and information.