How Health Care has Embraced Social Media

Social media has quickly become a phenomenon among individuals and workplaces alike. It allows individuals to connect online and share interests through different networking groups. It is not only effective but also efficient because of its ease of use and speed.

In our learning materials and in our discussion, we looked at several ways that health organizations are using social media. These examples are just a very small sampling of all that is being tried and evolving. Health providers are utilizing many unique and creative social media strategies to address often complex health issues at the organizational, patient, and even community levels.

In Module 4 you began your research. In Module 11, you received helpful peer feedback on your introduction and literature summary. This week, you will finalize your research paper. Your research paper will allow you to apply the writing process to an in-depth exploration of how social media is being used to address a health care issue or problem.

The purpose of the paper is to explore the use of social media in effectively addressing health or health care issues. Continuing the topic you identified in Module 4 and received peer support on in Module 11, write your paper. Be sure to address the following:

Describe how your chosen social media strategy is being used to address the health issue you chose.
Critically analyze the effectiveness of using social media for the health or health care issue selected. Your analysis must reflect:

1) knowledge of the health issue or problem;

2) research available in the literature about the social media strategy and how it has been applied to the health care issue you chose or something related;

3) the pros and cons of using the media strategy; and

4) legal and ethical implications that might arise from using the social media strategy selected.

Your paper should include the following elements:

A clear, concise, and well-written introduction to the paper that describes your social media strategy and how it addresses the health care issue you selected.
Paragraphs that are well organized and flow logically from introduction to conclusion and include all of the elements listed above.
A comprehensive conclusion that is consistent with your analysis and reflects the evidence you have gathered and presented in the body of the paper.
Proper use of APA formatting, including a title page, reference page, and running head.
Your paper should be 5-7 double-spaced pages in length, not counting the title and reference pages. Be sure to proofread to correct typos and grammatical errors