Why are we on social media?

When I think aboutsocial media, the first thing that pops into my head is how “new” the term is.  I think if asked the question, “What is Social Media?” ten years ago, I may have responded with “personal ads.”  Think about how much our world and how we communicate with each other has changed.  These changes have come very quickly as technology has exploded exponentially.  Just as the question above, I was thinking about similar questions and have come up with these answers: Twitter was something birds do; LinkedIn would have made me think of a chain gang; a Blog could have been a horror movie; and if someone told me toGoogle someone…well, let’s just leave that one alone.

The truth is that we now are more informed and have the ability to do more research than ever before.  Today’s consumers are much more knowledgeable about products and services than not just their preceding generation, but more than they were just 5 or 10 years ago.

When told of a diagnosis or medicine, patients and families today have a wealth ofinformation at their fingertips, which allows them to make better decisions.  At Crossroads Hospice, I think the more people are informed, the better they can make comparisons and truly choose the best service for themselves or their loved ones.  This is fantastic for companies, in any industry, who strive to make a difference and who want to “stand out.”

Taking research aside, when I think about the value of social media, I think about education.  Social media gives Crossroads Hospice a platform from which we can more effectively communicate with the world around us.  Patients, families, physicians, and basically all individuals working in healthcare (or out of our industry) can simply choose to “like” or “follow” Crossroads and continue to receive education on a variety of topics on a continuous basis.  Learning about changes or innovations, “chatting” with experts, asking questions or researching topics that may be troubling, all from the privacy of your home; is certainly a wonderful benefit.

Because of our mission to exceed everyone’s expectations from physicians to patients and anyone along the healthcare continuum, it is vitally important to find every possible way to keep our family and community informed.  Crossroads Hospice has always been considered a pioneer and innovator in the hospice industry and each facet of social media allows us to better and more effectively educate ourselves and the people we have had the honor of serving.

Plus it’s pretty cool.