Healthcare Social Media for Consumer Informatics

Abstract

Social media is any online resource with content that is designed to facilitate engagement between individuals, and consumer informatics began when websites and online social networks started to provide access to information and expert analysis that once took much longer to reach the public. Almost 9 out of 10 adults in the USA use at least one online social network, across age groups, genders, races, geographies, and income levels and across roles such as patients and caregivers, consumers, healthcare providers, insurers, and other user types. The networks and platforms profiled in this chapter—Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, YouTube and vLogs, Yelp and local business review sites, and community websites and networks—have accelerated the democratization of healthcare by enabling people to take a much more active and informed role in managing their own health and healthcare. This chapter describes the history of social media, profiles the interests and information needs of a variety of user groups, and points to future directions for online platforms and tools to continue to change the culture of healthcare organizations by empowering consumers in their own health and healthcare experiences.