Social Media Management for Hospitals

Does your hospital have a social media presence?

I remember a time when the image of our hospital was that of "the hospital of last resort" for patients in life-threatening conditions when more often than not, doctors could not longer do anything because the patients are referred too late... I've heard of monikers like "The Mona Lisa Hospital" because they lie there and they die there.  However it was the COVID-19 pandemic that accelerated the hospital's social media presence due to daily updates on patient census and the emphasis on quality data management as well as transparency and accountability.

Creating a social media account for the hospital is both a privilege and a great responsibility.

When our hospital first created an official Facebook account in 2018, people were always posting their complaints and even wishing that the government close down the hospital.  However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we need to do what we can to intensify public information dissemination and to use what we have.  So we started Facebook Live sessions, and The Sotto Live Productions was born with its first ever broadcast on March 25, 2020 hosted by Dr Helen Madamba and Atty Rey Cris Panugaling with our very first guest Dr Van Philipp Baton from the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development, discussing responsible social media use.  Initially planning to conduct these sessions once a week, there was pressure to provide updates on a daily basis.

Later on, the hospital hired designated communications team to manage internal and external communication of the hospital.  It put pressure on data managers to ensure quality and accuracy in the information posted on social media accounts of the hospital.  It allowed the patients and stakeholders to peek into the hospital activities and to be more aware of the real situation on the ground to adjust their behaviors appropriately, but it also allowed supporters to provide feedback to the hospital for areas for improvement.

T1.  Do you think hospitals should have a social media presence?  Why or why not?

Social media has a lot of benefits connecting patients and their healthcare workers together despite geographic barriers and quarantine issues during the pandemic.  Patients are able to join virtual communities, consult with their healthcare providers and even participate in research.  Healthcare workers use social media to promote patient health care education.

T2.  What are the risks and benefits of hospital social media accounts?

#HealthXPH has always promoted healthcare providers to have a social media presence and advocated for hospitals to develop their own social media policies.  Dr Iris Isip-Tan helped author the social media policy for their hospital, but for those who also want to do the same, this needs to be adapted and approved by the hospital administration, disseminated to the entire staff with corresponding penalties for violations.

T3.  What tips can you give for social media management of hospitals?

Join us tonight on #HealthXPH at 9PM MLA time to discuss about social media management for hospitals!