There are many advantages from a user perspective regarding social media, in healthcare and other realms.
In the restaurant realm, the advantage can be getting a free meal, or enticing the establishment to offer deals or new menu items that you're interested in. On a couple of occasions, social media has worked to my gastronomical advantage, although it wasn't my goal. As of late, I blogged a review of a new restaurant, complete with suggestions. I tweeted it, and posted it to my Facebook page. I received a very detailed response a few hours later from the owner. A few days later, I received a coupon via email from said restaurant. My intention wasn't to try and get something for free, but it sure was a nice bonus.
The same can be said for health care social media. In health care, an important advantage is finding a hospital, healthcare center or physician that can help you with whatever medical problem your experiencing - getting the best care that meets your individual needs. This story tells about how an online search procured a kidney for a transplant patient. So not only can you locate a physician, in certain situations and when used correctly, social media may also be able to find you a solution to a life-threatening situation.
Today I posted an article to our hospital Facebook page related to our cultural diversity program, and within a couple of hours received a response from an employee who had an example from the other night of how interpreters helped register a patient who didn't speak English. The perk here is that our fans are engaged - they respond, they participate, they share.
Love it. Absolutely love it.
