Journal of Healthcare Management - November/December 2014 - (Page 447)

Social Media: How Hospitals Use It, and Opportunities for Future Use Jason P. Richter, PhD, FACHE, assistant professor, graduate program in health and business administration, Army-Baylor University, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; David B. Muhlestein, PhD, JD, director of research, Leavitt Partners, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Chrisanne E. A. Wilks, health services management and policy, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y 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 policymakers, 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. For more information about the concepts in this article, contact Dr. Richter at jr10030@hotmail.com. 447

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Healthcare Management - November/December 2014

Interview With Ninfa M. Saunders, DHA, RN, FACHE, President and CEO of Navicent Health
Career Management in Today’s Healthcare Environment
Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing to Identify Value Improvement Opportunities in Healthcare
Charity Care in Nonprofit Urban Hospitals: Analysis of the Role of Size and Ownership Type in Washington State for 2011
Management Involvement on the Board of Directors and Hospital Financial Performance
Social Media: How Hospitals Use It, and Opportunities for Future Use

Journal of Healthcare Management - November/December 2014