A new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers outlines the various ways social media is changing the interaction between healthcare providers and consumers.
Report and survey findings are based on responses from more than 1,000 consumers and 124 healthcare executives. Here are some major findings of the report, which can be read in full here.
• Forty-one percent of respondents said information found vial social media would influence how they coped with a chronic condition, their approach to diet and exercise, choosing a specific hospital or choosing a specific physician. Forty-five percent of consumers said information they found via social media would affect their decisions to seek a second opinion.
• Forty-two percent of consumers have used social media for health-related consumer reviews, such as those of treatments or physicians. Of consumers aged 18 to 24, more than 80 percent of respondents are likely to share health information through social media. This figure slips to 45 percent for individuals aged 45 to 64.
• Sixty-one percent of consumer respondents said they are likely to trust information posted by physicians and 55 percent are likely to trust a hospital's posts. Forty-two percent are likely to trust content posted by health insurers and 37 percent said they're likely to trust information posted by a drug company.
• More than 75 percent of consumers expect healthcare companies to respond to social media requests for appointments within a day or less. Nearly half of respondents said they expect a response within a few hours, while 29 percent expect a response within the hour.
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Report and survey findings are based on responses from more than 1,000 consumers and 124 healthcare executives. Here are some major findings of the report, which can be read in full here.
• Forty-one percent of respondents said information found vial social media would influence how they coped with a chronic condition, their approach to diet and exercise, choosing a specific hospital or choosing a specific physician. Forty-five percent of consumers said information they found via social media would affect their decisions to seek a second opinion.
• Forty-two percent of consumers have used social media for health-related consumer reviews, such as those of treatments or physicians. Of consumers aged 18 to 24, more than 80 percent of respondents are likely to share health information through social media. This figure slips to 45 percent for individuals aged 45 to 64.
• Sixty-one percent of consumer respondents said they are likely to trust information posted by physicians and 55 percent are likely to trust a hospital's posts. Forty-two percent are likely to trust content posted by health insurers and 37 percent said they're likely to trust information posted by a drug company.
• More than 75 percent of consumers expect healthcare companies to respond to social media requests for appointments within a day or less. Nearly half of respondents said they expect a response within a few hours, while 29 percent expect a response within the hour.
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