Social Media: How Hospitals Use It, and Opportunities for Future Use

When used effectively, social media benefits hospitals through increased revenue, employee recruitment, and increased customer satisfaction. Although 72% of adults who use the Internet engage in social media, little is known about its prevalence among hospitals and the ways in which hospitals use it. We examined hospital characteristics associated with social media use and how U.S. hospitals use Facebook. Through analysis of websites and Facebook pages, we found that seven in 10 hospitals use social media and that 9% of hospitals with a Facebook page do not provide a link to it from their web page. The odds of social media use were greater in large, urban, nonprofit hospitals; at hospitals affiliated with universities or health systems; and at hospitals that emphasize quality metrics or educational information. Hospitals use Facebook as a dissemination strategy to educate consumers, acknowledge staff, and share news of the hospital's awards. However, the majority of hospitals do not actively engage consumers on Facebook pages. We conclude that this lack of engagement is a lost opportunity to enhance customer service, improve quality of care, and build loyalty. For hospital executives, we illustrate that Facebook is underutilized and that considerable opportunity exists for consumer engagement at a low cost. For policy-makers, there is a greater use of social media by nonprofit hospitals, compared to for-profit facilities. As Facebook is most commonly used as an educational tool, it is another example of nonprofit hospitals' heightened focus on health promotion and disease prevention.