Handbook of Research on Healthcare Administration and Management by Dwivedi Ashish N

Author:Dwivedi, Ashish N.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: IGI Global

This chapter contributes to the on-going research on social media in healthcare. It scrutinizes the managerial perspective on social media in healthcare literature that has been published in various disciplines including medicine, healthcare, management and information systems. Although this review does not claim to be exhaustive, it does provide significant practical insights into the appropriate use of social media applications in healthcare. First, healthcare providers have to recognize the implicit benefits and the competitive advantages associated with social media implementation over the long term in order to provide impetus for its adoption. In addition, successful adoption of social media within the healthcare context requires important internal facilitators such as creating awareness of its value across the firm; addressing all concerns relating to rules and regulations; encouraging feedback and continuing education and training for staff who are managing the social media applications; measuring metrics for effectiveness and efficiency of social media communications in real-time; and developing a content base for legal and compliance approval before posting it on social media. These actions may increase active social media participation among physicians, nurses and other staff and counter the negative perception of social media as a waste of time and effort. Second, healthcare managers need to develop strategies that are built around fostering the optimum level of social media infrastructure, knowledge, skills, and practice across the health organization. Third, healthcare providers should involve their clients to portray their social media needs on a personal level since cultural and demographic diversity could limit the reach of awareness massages. Zowawi et al. (2015) stated that measuring the impact of the social media–based awareness campaigns on the general public’s understanding and behavioral change is a challenge and needs further research. Fourth, social media facilitate self-education and self-management of patients (Pal 2014). Therefore, healthcare providers should rigorously assess this facility to ensure safe education and up-to- date knowledge are effectively provided. Finally, compliance with policies, rules and regulations that govern communications within the healthcare sector is a key requirement to ensure protection and privacy of patient. Noncompliance could damage a firm’s reputation, negatively impact it operations and make physicians stay passive on social media, since their positions might be jeopardized. So, electronic records must be complete and secured, with a controlled and supervised access, real patient identity should not be revealed by physicians on social media, and users must be careful not to harm their colleagues or organizations through sharing information on the social media.

The managerial perspective in this chapter presents a basis for theoretical, empirical or conceptual foundation and the methodological core for more investigation into social media in various healthcare settings. However, as with any review, the findings of this paper need to be tested with the help of appropriate empirical and multiple case studies. Another key limitation of this review is the heterogeneity of the identified literature. Literature on social media in healthcare is diverse. It covers various contexts, cultures, populations, study designs, social media applications and interventions. As a result, a relatively limited number of eligible studies of a general nature were categorized and reviewed.

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