The Importance Of Social Media On Health Communication

During the last decade, Internet and social media became important communication tools to influence audiences and to interact with opinion leaders and followers in an easy way. Users of Internet can get in touch with their opinion leaders without interpersonal contact, what is specifically of great importance within health communication. Patients do not always have to go to their physician’s office for questions they have concerning health problems and physicians can stay easily in contact with their colleagues in the field of health care. In the next research articles we will show how social media is used in two-step flow theory regarding health communication.

In “Just What the Doctor Tweeted: Physicians’ Challenges and Rewards of Using Twitter”

This study helps in finding out the role of professionals using social media or Internet to communicate with their followers, fans or patients (in case of doctors communicating). Technology plays a crucial role in health care by pushing patients and providers closer together. This is accomplished through new devices and procedures, but also by increased ways to communicate. In particular, online communication, like patient support groups, new media tools like weblogs, instant messaging platforms, video chat, and social networks allow users to access information without geographic boundaries (Hawn, 2009). 80% of Internet users look online for health information (Fox, 2011). The medical practice “Hello Health” used this way of online helping people with their health related problems. The website of Hello Health enables his clients to email or instant message their doctor, or even video chat with him or her. When the problem of the client is severe enough, he or she can still visit the doctor for an extensive examination at his or her practice. Using e-health and social media is about altering the relationships between care givers and care receivers and to get closer to a more patient-centered health care system (Hawn, 2009). Via a system like Hello Health, patients get the feeling that they can always contact their doctor what creates a relationship of trust and reliability. Because of this, patients will find their doctors trustworthy and see them as opinion leaders regarding health care. Extended research must reveal whether these effects are really