THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN HEALTHCARE RELATIONSHIPS: THE USER AS A CO-CREATOR OF VALUE

Objective: Analyze the role of social media in the co-creation of value in hospital health services. Method: Case study in a large hospital organization, structured in two stages. The first comprised the collection and analysis of customer interactions on the company's social media platforms. The second was based on 11 in-depth interviews with employees of the organization. Results: The relevant role that social media has assumed was confirmed, and that, when managed, they become channels that contribute to the value co-creation process. It was found that social media empower patients and favor the value co-creation process, beyond the doctor-patient relationship. Theoretical contributions: The research provided advances in studies on the Logic of Service in the health sector, noting how social media influence provider and customer experiences in the three spheres of value proposed by Gronroos and Voima (2013) and have the potential to expand the possibilities of co-creation in the Joint Sphere. Originality/Relevance: It was found that proper management of social media favors the co-creation of value for hospital services. Simply being present on social media or even having a high number of interactions does not create value by itself. It is the company's engagement with customer interactions, both in physical and virtual environments, that can lead to value co-creation. Furthermore, through the Value Spheres, it was possible to understand the role of social media and the different actors in the co-creation process. Management implications: Healthcare companies should strategically explore the potential that social media have for value co-creation, involving process improvement, adaptation and/or formatting of new services