ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of social media, review how it is used by patients, how it is used by providers to engage patients, and what some leading-edge examples point to as the potential future uses by providers for patient engagement. Patients may also seek to stay up to date on developments around their condition by following individuals or organizations on Twitter, or by following specific “hashtags.” Many patients also follow physician and hospital blogs, which vary greatly in the topics covered. Thirty-two percent of consumers access social media to view family members’/ friends’ health experiences, while 29% view other patients’ experiences with a disease. Consumers also communicate fitness, diet, and weight loss information with each other via various forms of social media. A growing number of mobile fitness apps have their own social media communities, allowing users to compare walks and runs, or even find someone to go bike riding with.
