Wading into the Social Media Waters: Do They “Like” Me? Does It Matter?

Whether you were an early adopter or have resisted the trend, social media is becoming increasingly valuable for businesses. It provides an almost ideal platform for manufacturers, retailers, and service providers to engage consumers in regular, ongoing conversations about their offerings. From a healthcare perspective, many patients use social media to seek out opinions, support, and information regarding their medical conditions and healthcare needs, but medical professionals have generally been hesitant to participate, citing privacy and liability among their chief concerns. They also mention concerns about the cost to staff social media efforts. These are top-of-mind issues to be sure; however, when implemented effectively, social media can become a vehicle by which healthcare providers educate patients, increase patient engagement, and grow their businesses.The O&P EDGE asked experts in the profession to share their social media experiences and weigh in on best practices, benefits, and pitfalls to avoid should you decide to wade into the social media waters.