As Twitter Matures, Hospitals Harness its Power

Real-time communication with patients, providers
Today many hospitals are on Twitter, but only some are using the network to its full marketing potential and gaining measurable results. One of these trailblazers is Atlanta Medical Center, led by its director of marketing and public relations, Marcus Gordon.

Gordon uses the AMC Twitter account to communicate with patients, providers, and media, to manage crises, implement service recovery, and promote key service lines.

"Being part of a conversation, and having the opportunity to participate and help drive the direction of a conversation, is a very valuable thing," he says. "Twitter, along with Facebook and other online social networks, are digital word-of-mouth marketing tools that need to play a role in any organization's marketing/public relations strategy."

Twitter is a great way to take the pulse of an organization, Gordon says, through both positive and negative mentions. Patients who may not share their experience via letter, email, or even Facebook post, are often more apt to do so on a platform like Twitter.

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