Evaluating the Presence of Hospitals on Social Media

Abstract

Today, adults are use social media to seek health information. Evidence suggests that hospitals using Instagram reported better patient engagement and in turn increased profit and reputation. Yet, little is known about how public and private hospitals are leveraging Instagram. This study aims to analyze the presence of hospitals on Instagram using Kuwait as a case study. Hospitals were identified using the Ministry of Health’s website and Instagram. Posts collected from 7 odd months were analyzed using the Constant Comparison method. A total of 3,439 posts were distributed across six categories: Health advice & education, operations & services, current events, hospital community, seasonal occasions, and trivia. Public and private hospitals differed in their activity on Instagram in terms of health topics covered, post categories, and interactions. Hospitals should improve their presence on Instagram to promote healthy lifestyles, augment public health campaigns, and be a source of reliable and accessible health information online.

Cyber Public Relations Strategies for Enhancing Public Engagement: A Case Study of Koja Hospital Instagram

“…However, when compared with the results of a study of a government hospital in Kuwait [52] which was conducted over a seven-month period, with a total of 3,439 posts, meaning that the average in one month was nearly 500 posts, indicating that posting carried out at the Koja Hospital is still in low numbers, namely 57 postings in two months.…”