Week 7 : Social Technology Use in Healthcare

The use of social technology in healthcare sector has recently been realized as one of the main pillars that can designate important information amongst recipients while enabling the practitioners to carry out their work related practices in a healthy manner. Social technology in healthcare remains one of the top priorities of new and running non-profit institutions including the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS).

The CHCS dedicates its services towards improving upon the healthcare provisions, providing quality health care amenities to people and children belonging to low income groups and adults and senior citizens with chronic diseases. There are ethnic diversities involved in the process along with the concern of providing a range of amenities and healthcare facilities even to the remotest geographic regions.

Using social technologies in the sector of healthcare will lead the users to remain up-to-date on latest medical processes and procedures, socialize with like-minded people and expand upon their existing networks of professionals and peers, communicate with patients in an effective manner and grow their practices in the said profession. This is why taking advantage of social media in the department can be beneficial for an increasing number of users belonging to the field.

Despite the fact that social networking may resemble an extra burden for doctors having some busy schedules, other members of the field at CHCS use these tools to send reminders about the patients, schedule appointments on daily basis, or simply notify or update the patients , schedule a new one, or notify them when running late fro a meeting or a treatment follow-up. In the longer run, participation of the healthcare practitioners and participants in social media not only provides an opportunity to the doctors to function smoothly and efficiently; but, it also improves upon the communication network and interactive environment between a patient and his doctor. 

The participation of the CHCS in social technology mediums also improves upon the patients’ word-of-mouth marketing about the services offered by an institution. This not only educates the general public about the provision of facilities but helps them seek the best available doctors for their beloveds. The management of the Center for Health Care Strategies believes that it must be its employees’ utmost responsibility to extend their reach to those in “need” using platforms where millions of users can be facilitated in the minimal of time span. The present-day times critically demand for a presence where health care amenities are provided to even the remotest localities at the spur of the moment since advancements in medical fields have already enabled the treatment of even the rarest of diseases.

Incorporating social media in the sector of healthcare, as we studied in the case of CHCS, results in a significant number of benefits. They cyber relationship between the patient and the doctor signifies a cordial relation amongst the two that is essential to cure critical diseases. In the coming times, more hospitals and healthcare facilities are probably going to incorporate such technologies to have real-time benefits along with enhancement of doctor-patient relationship.