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Status update services such as Twitter make

will ultimately benefit patient health outcomes.

Historically, physicians have been wary of engaging

ideal text-based channels for social media

These public health professionals are awaiting

in social media. but as younger, more Web-savvy

messaging via mobile technology, and should

stronger evidence from marketers of social

generations of doctors begin practicing medicine

be considered as a key platform for reaching

media’s inherent value.

the medical community has seen a shift in primary

emerging majority audiences.

care physicians’ level of social media engagement.

So how can we overcome these barriers around

Several recent surveys have documented this trend.

■ Focus on easily implementable health care

physicians’ perception of social media?

solutions.

despite growth in the use of social

according to a Manhattan research survey

media technologies, emerging majority families

The answer may lie in the “diffusions of innovation”

published in 2009, 60 percent of U.S. physicians

still suffer from poorer health outcomes and face

theory, which asserts that people do not embrace

are either actively using social media networks or

lesser access to health care services than Whites.

ideas just because they are novel or are promoted

are interested in doing so.

nearly 90 percent of

This may be attributed in part to the financial

through mass media.

Health care providers, like

online U.S. physicians say the Internet is essential

hardships many of these families experience,

consumers, are influenced by the actions of their

to their professional practice, and a 2008 survey

combined with the growing costs of health care.

influential peers. Thus, if more key opinion leaders

by forrester research indicated that 76 percent

for these reasons, public health messaging to

in the public health community can be persuaded

of online physicians “used one form of social

emerging majority audiences should provide clear,

to leverage social media platforms, greater numbers

media or another to create, consume, or share

low-cost solutions or recommendations regarding

of providers will “follow suit.”

medical content.”

3,30

the issue at hand. Messaging and tools cannot

be perceived as creating an additional burden

Physicians’ engagement in social media does not

2.2.1 primary Care physicians

for these communities.

occur frequently, however. less than 50 percent of

online physicians report that they create, consume

or share medical content on a monthly basis,

Primary care physicians are one of the linchpins

supporting the assertion that many providers still

2.2 Health Care providers

of the american public health system. They are

perceive frequent or daily use of social media as

often the first point of contact for information-

ineffectual. When physicians do use social media

seeking consumers, and for that reason, are an

In an industry where compensation is often tied

INSIGHTS ON EMERGING MAjORITIES FOR PUBLIC

for professional purposes, it predominantly occurs

important audience for public health-focused

HEALTH-RELATED SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH

to the number of patients treated, health care

via peer-to-peer networks. In 2008, 73 percent

social marketing campaigns.

providers are discovering that social media is one

of specialists online – including primary care

of the most efficient and least costly information-

■ Don’t fear the digital divide.

Specific emerging

physicians – reported using physician portals

sharing resources available. More and more, providers

majority populations are now more likely to

to find information or stay updated on clinical

are driven towards delivering more personalized,

use social media technologies than Whites,

matters and treatments.

a 2010 study by nicholson

better-informed care, and have started using

indicating that social marketers and public

Kovac of new media use among physicians reported

social media technologies to do so. Yet, barriers

health communicators should not avoid

88 percent have visited facebook and 16 percent

to social media adoption among these individuals

approaching these populations using Web 2.0

indicate they are using or have visited Twitter.

remain. When it comes to patient-to-provider

technology. research has revealed that african

interactions via social media, providers often hesitate

american and Hispanic e-patients are more likely

exclusive physician-targeted social media networks

to be impacted by health information online,

to engage because of their medical training, which

such as Sermo, SocialMd and Ozmosis are now

stresses the importance of privacy and maintaining

suggesting that communicating with these

providing physicians with a safe, secure environment

a “professional distance.”

Many providers also

audiences via social media may in fact be as

in which to share ideas. These networks have

effective as communications offline.

feel that engaging with patients via social media

attracted tens of thousands of members – Sermo

blurs the line between a HIPaa violation and

alone had over 100,000 members in 2009. Part

good-faith information sharing.

■ Ensure that all tools are mobile Web compliant.

of their appeal is the assurance that only licensed

Given that emerging majorities frequently rely

physicians may become members and share content.

but it is engagement between fellow providers that

on mobile devices to access the Internet, it is

This “walled garden” approach bolsters physician’s

is often most vital to effective social marketing and

important to ensure that public health-driven

confidence in the reliability and accuracy of the

social media efforts targeted towards these

public health interventions. Thus, it is important

networks’ content and sources.

to understand why many physicians still perceive

audiences be accessible using a mobile device.

reliance on peer-to-peer social media resources

This often means that social marketers must

rely on text-based messaging, and avoid more

as ultimately unproductive. It is equally critical to

identify why providers often still question the

dynamic tools that take longer for cellular

premise that adoption of social media technologies

networks to download.

Using Social Media Platforms To Amplify Public Health Messages (White Paper) - Ogilvy Washington, Georgetown University'S Center For Social Impact Communication Page 12

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