The needs of social media platforms users in the healthcare setting determine the type of platform that they subscribe. Social media users can ensure the efficacy of the information they are trying to communicate by presenting it in a manner that resonates with the target audience (Ventola, 2014). The target audience determines the type of social platform that healthcare practitioners use. The three social media platforms that I believe will be most effective to use in networking within the healthcare sector are blogs, social networking accounts such as Doximity, and media sharing sites such as The Doctors’ Channel. Health care practitioners have used these three platforms for information sharing, entertainment, and educating the public on health issues.
Doximity is a HIPAA compliant physician-only social platform that enables physicians to share images and text. The site is popular among healthcare providers because it facilitates crowdsourcing of information at the point of care (Ventola, 2014). The platform creates an online physician-lounge of sorts that allows peer-to-peer interactions where physicians can query one another; discuss treatment options, and share knowledge, experiences or frustrations. It also facilitates multidisciplinary knowledge sharing that leads to professional development.
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Blogs and micro-blogs are some of the more established social platforms used in the medical sector. The preference for blogs emanates from the fact that they can be used for a wide audience such as patients, the community, health care practitioners, and healthcare leaders. Users of this platform can customize their content depending on the target audience (Ventola, 2014). Blogs make it possible to share content, comment on published content, allows publication of enormous volumes of content, and allows the retrieval of information multiple times. They can be used to advise patients, create community awareness on health matter, and as a source of new knowledge among practitioners.
The Doctors’ Channel, a popular media-sharing site is important among practitioners because it facilitates branding and marketing, community building among health care workers, and is a source of credible information. The platform hosts videos that feature medical education, healthcare-related entertainment, and medical news (Ventola, 2014). Users of the site can comment on featured content or connect with other users of the platform. Ultimately, the site creates and strengthens networks within the medical sector.
Presenting a professional profile on social media
There are many ways to make social platforms appear professional. First, ensure that the social media bio caters to the target audience and the social network. Include things that make the bio look professional. Using keywords that highlight important facts such as skills, strengths, education, or employment history is important. Second, present information in a manner that makes it obvious for people to point out what your brand is all about. Being blunt and concise makes it possible for profile viewers to know what you are about at a glance. Additionally, proving complete information gives a professional aura. Third, use language and profile pictures that are professional. The language, content, videos, and images on the site must be consistent with professionalism to attract the desired audience and with their trust (Ventola, 2014). It is also important to respond to queries and comments from other users.
My experience when trying to present a professional profile on my social media was a thrill. I learned so much on how to exude professionalism on social media. The most significant lesson was that I was not optimizing my social media by mixing both entertainment and professional content on my social media. I learned that the only way to optimize my profile was by making it all professional. People tend to trust profiles that are consistently professional as opposed to profiles that mix professionalism and fun.
- Ventola, C. L. (2014). Social media and health care professionals: Benefits, risks, and best practices. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 39(7), 491-499.
