Hospitals rank Facebook as their most important social media channel according to “A Healthy Dose of Social Media“survey by the Ohio Hospital Association and the Columbus firm Mindset Digital.
The survey report highlights how Ohio hospitals value building community relationships and sharing hospital news with their social channels. A Healthy Dose of Social Media was conducted through an online form emailed to OHA members in the fall of 2012. Representatives of 51 percent of the OHA membership responded, and the results reflect a broad mix of small hospitals (less than 100 beds), large hospitals and hospital systems.
Hospitals are now recognizing the shift in communication by patients as they are increasingly turning to social media for information about their illnesses, emotional support, and physician ratings. With more than 1 billion users worldwide, Facebook leads as the the most important social media channel for hospitals to connect with their communities and promote brand awareness.
Key findings of the survey include:
- 85 percent of the hospitals in the survey state there’s no one working full time on social media. Instead, the vast majority of social media managers are full-time employees who handle social and other duties.
- Many hospitals were budgeting more staff time and/or money for social this year. About 35 percent said they would increase their 2013 budget, and 49 percent said they would devote more time or staff members to social.
- Building community relationships, sharing hospital news and building local reputations are the top goals. These hospitals said fundraising and issue advocacy are toward the bottom of the list.
The full report is available here.
