4 steps to reduce a hospital social media crisis

A report from Altimeter Group says social media crises are on the rise. But with proper preparation, you can avoid them.

This is good news for hospital CEOs who view social media as a potential disaster waiting to happen. The report lists what organizations—including hospitals—can do to prepare.

Altimeter defines a social media crisis as “a crisis issue that arises in or is amplified by social media and results in negative mainstream media coverage, a change in business processes, or financial loss.” The group conducted online surveys and interviews with more than 200 social business program managers, corporate practitioners, and social business software, service and solutions providers.

The group analyzed more than 50 social media crises since 2001.

Here are four steps you can take to reduce the risk of a social media crisis.

Clear social media policy

Establish and reinforce a corporate social media policy that sets clear standards and allows employees to participate professionally. Even if your hospital isn’t engaging on social media, it’s still important. Employees appreciate having clear social media guidelines. And remember to review these policies at least annually to keep up-to-date.