The benefits of using a healthcare social networking site are numerous. The benefits are not limited to patient safety, information support, or nutrition and health promotion. They also include professional development for healthcare professionals. These healthcare social networking sites provide benefits not just for medical professionals, but for the community as well.
Information support
Social networking sites can provide a wide range of social benefits, including information support, emotional and esteem support, and network and tangible support. In addition, health-related social networks can allow people to share their knowledge and experiences. They can also solicit information and recommendations from peers and other healthcare professionals. The benefits of information support are numerous, and social networking sites can improve patient care by facilitating direct communication between patients and healthcare professionals.
Social networking sites can also benefit patients with various diseases. These include cancer, infant and maternal care, depression, wellness, and weight management. It is important to note that the use of social media by different age groups and genders can vary. According to Korda et al.5, women are more likely than men to search for information related to their symptoms, diseases, or treatment. Similarly, a doctor may have to work with a social network that offers an active community for physicians and other healthcare professionals to exchange information.
Patient confidentiality
Physicians should be careful about sharing personal information on social media sites to protect patient confidentiality. In the United States, HIPPA and other laws prohibit sharing personal health information. Study participants believe that the risk of unwittingly disclosing patient information on public social networking sites is higher than on other knowledge-sharing platforms. However, physicians should consider the benefits of patient confidentiality when using dedicated online social networking sites for the medical profession.
Patient confidentiality helps develop trust between patients and health care professionals. Patients feel safe and confident sharing confidential information with their medical practitioners, leading to better interactions and better health visits. In addition to that, healthcare professionals who take their patients’ privacy responsibilities seriously are more likely to have honest patients. And that means better diagnosis, personalized treatment plans, and more effective medical care. This is possible because of HIPAA rules.
Promotion of health and nutrition
Social media is an increasingly popular medium for health promotion, and posting information on health and nutrition issues can create a powerful social health experience. In addition, many people engage in conversations about their health issues on dedicated health sites such as Yahoo! Groups, and PatientsLikeMe, sponsored by various nonprofits and corporations. Some SNS users even create groups around specific health topics or disease states. But, there are several challenges with health promotion on social media.
For example, some healthcare organizations use social media to raise public awareness about their services, but they are not fully utilizing the platform. These platforms can help increase participation, and government agencies are also using them to share information with citizens. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a Facebook Messenger chatbot to respond to common questions. The chatbot answers common health-related questions and directs citizens to resources.
Professional development for health professionals
Physicians, radiologists, pharmacists, and other health professionals embrace social media for patient education, communication, and professional development. It is more complex than ever to build meaningful connections in person with video conferencing, teleconsultations, and other videoconferencing software. But as the social media world continues to grow exponentially, so do the opportunities for health professionals to stay current and relevant. With these tools, healthcare professionals can connect, stay current on the latest research, and engage in the community.
Most good healthcare social networking sites cater specifically to doctors. Some focus on connecting medical students and nurses, while others aim to connect job seekers.
Reducing the negativity of social media during large-scale health crises
Researchers have noted that the harmful content of social media during large-scale health crises like COVID-19 may worsen mental health. While researchers have long recognized that negative news affects people’s moods, the findings from this study may have even more significant implications for individuals who already experience mental health problems. This study provides some preliminary data to examine this potential impact. Also, future studies may utilize intensive longitudinal measures that capture concurrent variations in emotions and social media use patterns.
Another study suggests that routine social media use can positively affect mental health. Researchers have observed an increase in calls to mental health crisis helplines during this period, and this data has been published in numerous publications. They suggest that this increase in social media use may reflect the distress that people experience offline. Moreover, social media use may lead to the development of depression and anxiety, two conditions that may affect mental health.