Nonprofit technology research firm ECRI Institute has published a new analysis, "Social Media in Healthcare," to help healthcare providers face the unique risks posed by social media.
Although the healthcare industry has been slower than others to adopt social media, due to concerns about the risks it poses, the rate of adoption has increased in the past two to three years, ECRI said.
The analysis found that hospitals and other healthcare organizations use social media in ways that attempt to meet consumer demand. In its report, ECRI recommends that hospitals create and enforce social media plans that define how engaged the organization will be, who its audience will be, and who will be responsible for managing social media outlets. They should also establish policies and procedures for managing risks related to privacy, reputation management, and employment issues.
ECRI is giving free access to its risk analysis report on social media, the firm said.
