Media technology used more frequently as means of marketing for healthcare facilities
Until recently, it would have been unheard of to broadcast a live brain operation. Social media has changed that, however, as it becomes more common for private medical procedures to be described and even recorded live and posted online for the public to view, reports The New York Times. New tools like Twitter, live blogging, Facebook, and YouTube have given hospitals a new space to market themselves. More than 250 hospitals are involved in some sort of social media, and many of those are looking to see if they can attract patients from an increasingly competitive market.
Some questions arise concerning the use of such media to promote a facility, however. Does discussing a patient’s condition in this forum violate patient privacy rules? What kind of picture does this type of media paint of patient care? What if something goes wrong during a procedure being broadcast live?
To read the article, click here. Has your hospital experimented with any new, creative marketing techniques? Have they succeeded in bringing new patients?
About the Author: Heather Comak is a Managing Editor at HCPro, Inc., where she is the editor of the monthly publication Briefings on Patient Safety, as well as patient safety-related books, webcasts, and audio conferences. She is also is the Assistant Director of the Association for Healthcare Accreditation Professionals (www.accreditationprofessional.com) and manages Patient Safety Monitor (www.patientsafetymonitor.com), of which this blog is a part.
Contact Heather by e-mailing hcomak@hcpro.com
