How Many Surveyed Hospitals Had Within a Certain Range of Facebook ‘Likes’ in 2011?
Twenty-six out of 140 surveyed hospitals had between zero and five Facebook “likes” in 2011, according to a recent report by Simon Associates Management Consultants. This study demonstrated that:“healthcare organizations are using social networking and professional networking sites in numerous ways to connect with patients, potential patients, donors, and the community at large. They routinely use Facebook and Twitter to build a network of followers and then distribute news, promote events, and drive fund-raising initiatives through these tools.”
The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project confirms this finding with their own studies showing that:
“healthcare was the second most frequent reason why people went on the Internet for information and that Facebook was definitely a place where people were very comfortable finding answers to questions and sharing information and insights”.
According to Susannah Fox, Associate Director, Digital Strategy, Pew Research, “Health information remains one of the most important subjects that Internet users research online.”
The Pew Study offers platforms for hospitals to jump on:
- 12% of Internet users look online for information about long-term care for an elderly or disabled person.
- 29% of Internet users look online for information about food safety or recalls.
- 24% of Internet users look online for information about drug safety or recalls.
- 19% of Internet users look online for information about pregnancy and childbirth.
- 17% of Internet users look online for information about memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s.
- 14% of Internet users look online for information about how to manage chronic pain
- 7% of Internet users look online for information about end-of-life decisions.
That year, 40 surveyed hospitals had between six and 1,000 Facebook likes and 52 surveyed hospitals had between 1,001 and 5,000 Facebook likes. Seven surveyed hospitals had between 5,001 and 10,000 Facebook likes, and 15 surveyed hospitals had more than 10,000 Facebook likes, according to the report.
The report is based on a survey of 140 U.S. hospitals conducted between November 2011 and March 2012.
Source: Simon Associates Management Consultants, “2011 Second Annual Survey: Hospital Use of Social Media”
Clearly some hospitals are doing something right and the others can learn from them!
Have you been active in social media for any health answers? Comment below, we’d love to hear about it!
