Running head: HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL MEDIA 1
Healthcare and The Impact of Social Media
Corine Domingo
Liberty University
HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL MEDIA 2
Healthcare and The Impact of Social Media
Over the past few decades, technological advancements with computers, the Internet, and
social media platforms have transformed human communication and collaboration. Between
1980 and 2000, Web 1.0, a collection of simple static HTML pages and websites existed where
content was centralized, controlled and distributed by early social media platforms like
discussion forums, bulletin boards, and Listservs. By early 2000s, a range of social media
platforms exploded with the arrival of Web 2.0 which enabled new technologies including social
and professional networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, wikis, social photo and video sharing
tools and apps, thematic networks, social bookmarking, and multiuser virtual environments to all
develop easy-to-use and interactive platforms for individuals and communities to share, co-
create, review, and amend to user created content (Rolls et al., 2016, p. 3).
Nelson and Staggers define social media as a group of Internet-based applications
established for the purpose of mass collaboration. Social media tools have redefined how
individuals, businesses, and organizations obtain and disperse information, communicate and
connect with others. Analogously, the healthcare field has submerged itself into this phenomenon
and recognizing that the potential of social media can increase awareness of healthcare services,
disseminate health promotion and preventive education, recruit new clients and staff, connect
patients to individuals with similar experiences, and increase access to health care services
(2019, p. 221).
Research has shown that with the addition to smartphones and tablet technology and
improved mobile connectivity the use of social media has increased exponentially, between 2015
and 2017, Internet and social media users correspondingly boosted from 10% to 46% or 3.419
billion and 31% or 2.307 billion (Rolls et al., 2016, p. 4). As Web 2.0 and social media have
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become a critical part of our society’s way to communicate and collaborate it is important to
keep abreast of changes in its use, challenges, and benefits it brings.
Social Media and Mobile Healthcare
Mobile devices, smartphones, and digital health have transformed various aspects of
clinical practice with its rapid growth in the development of medical software applications
(apps). Today, there are numerous apps that assist health care professions (HCPs) with
“information and time management; health record maintenance and access; communications and
consulting; reference and information gathering; patient management and monitoring; clinical
decision-making; and medical education and training” (Ventola, 2014, p. 356).
Medical and health aps are now designed to accommodate physicians and clinicians, to
patients, or to both groups as a way to improve communication and engagement. In addition,
according to Housman, (2017) many apps are geared to support self-directed health education
and research broken down by specific conditions and scenarios, much like ones provided by
WebMD. Azumio, the marker of Glucose Buddy, Sleep Time, and Instant Heart Rate assist
patients to measure, monitor, and track their biometrics and share with their PCPs as needed.
MediSafe and PillPack are apps dedicated to treatment reminders, medication dose tracking, side
effects and management of poly-medications to patients. MediSafe uses a virtual pillbox where
the patient scans the bar code on each of their prescriptions and it serves as a virtual reminder to
them throughput the day as to which prescriptions have been taken and which remain in the
pillbox to be taken at a later time. This development of this app has gone a step further by
introducing a buddy system, this alert system notifies both the patient as well as his or her
designated or responsible party to monitor the medication adherence if needed (Housman, 2017,
p. 2192). PillPack by Amazon pharmacy works directly with patient’s PCPs and insurances to
HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL MEDIA 4
delivery monthly prescription medications and over the counter (OTC) vitamins directly to the
individual’s doorstep. All medications and OTCs are sorted and packaged separately according
to days and times to better assist patients with medication management and adherence. Many
pharmacies like Walgreens now utilize apps to refill prescription medications as well,
“Walgreens executive explained, "You have your pill bottle, you take your smartphone, you scan
the barcode, you select your store, and you're done. You get a text that your prescription is ready.
And our customers have voted with their downloads” (Housman, 2017, p. 2192).
Mobile devices and apps have proven to be a significant addition in increasing access to
point-of-care tools and support better clinical practices, however some HCPs are still quite
reluctant to adopt and adapt to these trends. Many health care app options are available in
Google Play and iTunes stores, but there is inconsistency found in functionality and usability as
apps are not updated frequently with new information and features. Housman, states that a
review of 272 medication adherence apps in an Australian study found that more than one half of
the featured apps failed to be updated by the developer in several years postlaunch (2017, p.
2192). Statistics also shows that patients using social medic and apps to communicate and
engage online with individuals with similar experiences to gain insight and education on one’s
condition and array of treatment(s), there is also a potential risk in relying on such channels for
self- diagnosing and treating themselves. Therefore, this is an issue that needs to be further
researcher and managed given the growing number of medical assistive apps and digital
platforms.
Social Networking and Healthcare Policy
Social networking has many benefits from a healthcare professionals stand-point; from
collaboration of innovative ideas, discussion of rising health care issues and policies, to
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promotion of better health care needs. However, it is important to preserve the privacy and
remain in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) to
protect healthcare organizations and patient information when documenting or publishing
anything on social media forums. In order for professional nurses to ensure that no patient’s
treatment or privacy is undermined the American Nurses Association (ANA) established a set of
social networking principles:
1. Nurses must not transmit or place online individually identifiable patient information.
2. Nurses must observe ethically prescribed professional patient-nurse boundaries.
3. Nurses should understand that patients, colleagues, organizations, and employers may
view postings.
4. Nurses should take advantage of privacy settings and seek to separate personal and
professional information online.
5. Nurses should bring content that could harm a patient’s privacy, rights, or welfare to the
attention of appropriate authorities.
6. Nurses should participate in developing organizational policies governing online conduct.
(ANA, 2019).
Social networking and media usage are broadly utilized by organizations of all sizes,
regardless of for-profit or not-for profit status worldwide. The way organization and
professionals accept and relate to social media within a business context is fundamental to their
success. As a growing and diverse user base is in place, it is important for an organization to
recognize that individuals from cross the lifespan are becoming more attuned to the benefits of
technology and from a business preceptive it would be risky to remain disconnected from this
platform ( Barnes & Barnes, 2010, p. 4). Organizations similar to the ANA are constantly
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developing and updating their social media and networking policies and procedures to embrace
this growing phenomenon.
My current organization’s social media policy addresses many of the principles that are
featured in the ANA’s guidelines. The organization has a Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and a
public forum that is managed and controlled by the media relations team. It is imperative that
prior to having resident and family information posted or published that a media release form is
obtained by resident/responsible party and then approved by the media relations
manager/director. All our residents upon move-in ae given the option to enroll into the media
adherence policy, where they give us permission to post and share their stories,
accomplishments, etc. with team members and families. Employees are prohibited from using
personal cellphones or other devices to access any social media networks on company work
hours. In addition, if an employee posts/publishes anything with a resident or company
logo/name visible without permission or inappropriately disciplinary actions follow. Therefore, it
is important for all team members and leaders to understand that such policies and regulations
are in place to safeguard us, our profession, and our residents/patients.
Conclusion
In such a rapid changing healthcare environment, implementation of social media by
healthcare organizations is important, however staying in compliance with federal and state
regulations to prevent misleading or mismanagement of patient information is essential as well.
Social media platforms usage to propagate evidence-based practices and valuable healthcare
information is key to the future research and patient care management, however management
strategies by healthcare professionals need to be modified so that the most updated and reliable
information is publish and delivered to the patient population. 1 Corinthians 10:23 states, “All
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things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things buildup”,
as a Christian nurse it’s important to understand how everything is doable, however there are
policies and guidelines to do things the right way, the way that builds organizations and people.
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References
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American Nurses Association. (2018). ANA social media principles.
ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/social/
Barnes, N., & Barnes, F. (2010). Equipping your organization for the social networking
game. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 38(3), 3-
7. https://doi.org/10.1109/emr.2010.5559137
Benetoli, A., Chen, T., & Aslani, P. (2018). How patients’ use of social media impacts their
interactions with healthcare professionals. Patient Education and Counseling, 101(3),
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Therapeutics, 39(11), 2189-2195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2017.10.007
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social media to create virtual communities: An integrative review. Journal of Medical
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Ventola, C. L. (2014). Mobile Devices and Apps for Health Care Professionals: Uses and
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