New guidance from ECRI on social media, healthcare
New guidance from ECRI on social media, healthcare
Driven by concerns about the many risks social media poses, the healthcare industry has been slower than others in adopting social media. However, the rate of adoption has increased in the past two to three years. As of October 2011, more than 1,000 hospitals have recognized the benefits in improved community outreach and are actively using social networking tools, according to ECRI Institute, an independent nonprofit in Plymouth Meeting, PA, that researches approaches to improving patient care.
These hospitals' 4,000 social networking sites include 1,068 Facebook pages and 814 Twitter accounts, ECRI reports. ECRI has been closely following the rapid emergence of social media over the past five years and published a new risk analysis, Social Media in Healthcare, to help healthcare providers face the unique risks social media poses.
ECRI found that hospitals and other healthcare organizations use social media in ways that attempt to meet consumer demand. ECRI recommends that in doing so, these hospitals must create and enforce social media plans that define how engaged the organization will be, who its audience will be, and who will be responsible for managing social media outlets, as well as establish policies and procedures for managing risks related to privacy, reputation management, and employment issues.
Paul Anderson, ECRI Institute's director of risk management publications has spoken extensively on the topic to risk management and patient safety professionals across the country. "I won't tell you that you have to join Facebook or set up a Twitter account, but your patients and staff are using these tools," Anderson says. "Healthcare managers would be shortsighted not to consider both the risks and benefits that social media presents. Yes, there are privacy and reputational risks, but social media can present tremendous opportunities for hospitals to communicate with their communities, patients, and staff."
The complete risk analysis on social media is available online at no charge at http://tinyurl.com/87b7olu.
Driven by concerns about the many risks social media poses, the healthcare industry has been slower than others in adopting social media. However, the rate of adoption has increased in the past two to three years. As of October 2011, more than 1,000 hospitals have recognized the benefits in improved community outreach and are actively using social networking tools, according to ECRI Institute, an independent nonprofit in Plymouth Meeting, PA, that researches approaches to improving patient care.Subscribe Now for Access
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