In October 2009 Ed Bennett recorded over 400 hospitals in the US utilising social Networks. Following the sterling work of @EdBennett I was stimulated to determine the percentage of Australian hospitals using Social Networks both to further engage staff members and to provide community based education for the general populous.

We examined 935 Australian Hospitals to confirm that Australia is lagging 12-18 months behind the US in terms of utilising Social Media to facilitate two-way communication; engage the community and relay vital lifestyle and health related information. In this initial survey we found that hospitals were becoming more compliant with Organisational websites and directory listings (providing moderately up to date information about their location and services provided) – but the use of social media and social networks has yet to be embraced.

I expect to see some significant changes over the next 6-12 months (as per the data from the US) but Australia currently boasts a festive 3 hospital blogs, 2 Organisational based Facebook accounts and 1 Twitter account.

Granted, there are a few staff based and private Facebook accounts as well as medical blogs partly affiliated with certain hospitals (documented below), but I would love to see an increase in the community based interactivity and approachability of the Hospital as a whole. The sharing of information and embracing of Social Networking is still in its infancy in Australia, but we will watch it grow

Please leave comments below with links to hospital Social Networks. The permanent link to this table will be hosted at the Australian Hospital Social Network list

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