Social Health Care: Connecting Toward A Healthier Future

Social Health Care: Connecting Toward a Healthier Future Social technologies are affecting the way our world operates as they become more and more established and interconnected. Individuals are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a wide variety of other forms of social media to communicate, connect, and share. The way many communicate with their family, friends, employers, and strangers has changed as social media has as well. Individuals can have closer contacts with those who live far away and stay up to date with those who they many not see everyday. As well as individuals ability to communicate more than they ever have before, the way they do things is changed due to social media and mobile technologies. More specifically, social
As awareness is extending, so is the support received: information and input is shared and obtained through a mass number of people, called crowdsourcing (crowdsource, n.d.). When many people come together, great success is achieved. Websites such as The Foundation for Prader-Willi Research is an example of a non-profit organization that has created a Facebook page made to bring individuals with Prader-Willi, family members, and friends together to learn and share knowledge (Howard, J., Strong, T., Johnson, S., Viroslav, A., & Porter, J., 2014). This page delivers information, advice, suggestions, and personal stories about Prader-Willi and how individuals are dealing with this medical disability. Different medications and treatment options along with the outcomes are shared, as well as school adaptions and success stories are shared among the group. The Facebook page creates awareness worldwide and receives support and pledges from many for research development. When someone joins a group where others experience similar issues a sense of community is built, sharing, supporting, and helping others creating a healthier and happier population. Not only is there a Facebook page for Prader-Willi, but there are also a wide variety of pages and sites through all forms of social media that offer support for those with medical exceptionalities and loved
The quality of medical care has been improved as there is more communication between patients and medical professionals, as well as communication and support between individuals. Important messages can be delivered quicker and easier than they once were, and information is much more accessible than it once was as well. There a a wide range of apps to help individuals get and stay healthy, as well as share their progress with others. However, as with anything, there are disadvantages to social health care. Privacy and confidentiality is very hard to be kept when using social media, as is professionalism while still providing patients with friendly, secure relationships. Also, it can be hard to determine what information is accurate and what sources are trustworthy. Overall, social media is changing health care, creating many opportunities to build off of and engage all to create a healthier population connecting and collaborating to a healthier