I recall one appointment when my doctor stopped to search the internet for my symptoms. Concerned, I thought my doctor may not know what she was doing. But, I realized most of us find out what the bumps we have on our arms are, or the scratchy feeling in our throats the same way. Social media has become an avenue for individuals to search for their symptoms and find a treatment or ways to prevent illness. It is also a great tool for Healthcare Providers.
Impact of Social Media on Global Healthcare
The question is, Can Social Media Have a Positive Impact On Global Healthcare? Andrew Arnold states millennials are ditching the doctor visits in favor of social media due to their cost-conscious, convenience-seeking lifestyles. 
He also indicates that social media is a place to find advice from peers who may be experiencing the same health-related concerns or seeking out advice on lifestyle changes to healthcare problems. I think of my peers who have children and the way they post pictures of their children with a rash, etc. on Facebook. They’ll ask if anyone has experienced or seen the same symptoms and request advice on how to treat it. It is interesting how many responses they receive. Many people trust their peers to provide a reliable answer. Social Media brings healthcare to your fingertips.
Benefitting Doctors
Eighty-eight percent of physicians use the internet and social media to research pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical devices. According to Pharmacy and Therapeutics, social media provides healthcare providers with tools to share information, promote health behaviors, to engage with the public, and to educate and interact with patients and others. Doctors are able to network and to engage with the social media world on current health issues. Social media allows doctors to reach for information far beyond the communities they serve.
Tool for Marketing and Communications for Healthcare Providers
Forty-one percent of people on a Pricewaterhouse Cooper (PWC) survey suggested the information they get from social media impacts their healthcare decisions. That’s a large percentage of individuals relying on social media for their personal healthcare. Sixty percent of doctors use social media as an avenue to deliver healthcare to patients. Andrew Arnold lists ways doctors and healthcare providers use social media:
- Publishing recent research
- Educating healthcare consumers
- Directing consumers to their websites and landing pages for up-to-date information
- Marketing innovative services such as financial solutions to other healthcare companies
- Posting information, photos and outcomes
- Sharing patient reviews and testimonials
- Providing customer support and offering healthcare advice
As social media is being used more and more, healthcare is easily accessed through social media. People do worry if the information is true on social media. The key is to seek the credible sources.