Information Overload: Physicians Turn to Social Media to Enhance & Share Medical Knowledge
Think about how many interactions average consumers have with employees in their daily lives – at grocery stores, post offices and chain restaurants, to name a few. What if those employees didn’t have up-to-date information? Customers might receive expired milk, incorrect postage or inaccurate bills — annoying, sure, but mild in the grand scheme of things. But what if those professionals with incorrect or outdated information were doctors and medical professionals? Might not be such a quick fix.
These days, the amount of information practicing physicians must learn, understand and apply is constantly increasing, and according to research by the Journal of Medical Internet Research, it has surpassed the cognitive capacities possessed by humans. So how do these professionals keep up with the loads of ever-evolving information and medical knowledge that comes with the wealth of research available? Social media.
Today one in four doctors uses social media professionally on a daily basis. Physicians rely on social platforms when searching for the most updated and current research, as well as for communicating and sharing medical information with patients and peers. Therefore, social platforms like blogs, Twitter and online communities are gaining traction as physicians’ go-to information providers and suppliers. Over half of the doctors surveyed said that social media enables them to care for patients more effectively, while 60 percent stated it helps to deliver a higher quality of care to patients.
The study’s results emphasize the importance of social media as a means to manage information-overload when used effectively, and a collaborative approach to social sharing can help. If time constraints or inexperience with social platforms act as a hindrance for utilizing social media and reaching a social audience, partnering with experienced content curators is a valid option.
Developing a content marketing strategy — be it via blogs, micro blogs or online medical communities — is essential to a strong online presence. The stronger that presence is the easier it is to navigate the abundance of medical information online and, as a result, offer the most informed, high-quality care for patients. Get started today!
