Developing online health communities through digital media

Abstract

Twenty-first century's advancement in information technologies and the emergence of online communities have considerably influenced the online communication channels between patients and health service providers. Online health communities are now popular venues for health information sharing, yet little is known about the benefits in developing countries such as Iran. The aim of this case is to investigate on online health communities in Iran and to have a better understanding of consumer's behaviour using health services. The case integrates social support theory and social media concepts with traditional consumer behaviour theory, notably satisfaction. Using a content analysis of three online health communities indicates the value of social media in developing service quality in health industry.

Introduction

Standards of living are increasingly informed with a service-centred climate (Vargo & Lusch, 2004). By default this encourages industries to seek ways they can evaluate the quality of services to improve and provide satisfaction to their consumers (Jayawardhena, 2010). However, many concerns have arisen internationally in the health care sector and it faces major challenges. Rising costs and increasing demands of patients are among the most important challenges for the health industry particularly, the improvement of quality in health care and the expense control are the main challenges in this industry (Sicurello, 2009). Concisely, patients are now demanding better quality and their expectation is higher than before.

Patients can be seen as consumers of services in health industry and are the central point in this sector. Every government is trying to improve the quality of health sector to offer service quality to the system. Increasing service quality provides satisfaction to the patients as customers (Spreng, Shi, & Page, 2009). Within this narrative service quality can be achieved when consumers perceive value and receive information quality leading to customer's satisfaction. This sector is now looking for the solutions to enhance the quality of services to their customers. Digital solutions, as a cost efficient solution, aimed at improving the quality of health care is of considerable interest amongst scholars (Black et al., 2011). E-health is such a strategy increasing satisfaction in patients. Additionally, e-health has offered a number of opportunities for health sector in past years.

The proliferation of the Internet for acquiring information on health and developing e-health has gained a lot of attention in recent years (Rains & Karmikel, 2009). The Internet has empowered patients to share their information and experiences and also to gain access to others’ information using social media. Social media is one such possible digital solution for health professionals as they face up to the problems of improving provision within shrinking budgets in the industry. The increasing attraction of social media and attraction of social networking sites (SNSs) and online communities (Patterson, 2012) developed new strategies for the market to use these social platforms that enables online communication between peers. Organisations employ online communities to develop their marketing strategies (Nambisan & Baron, 2007) and facilitate social interaction of members for sharing information and knowledge about a product or a service (Ganley & Lampe, 2009). In fact, sharing information, experiences and knowledge with other members of online communities is a valuable opportunity for the health sector to improve services. These advancements offer new opportunities for the countries to develop online health communities to reduce the costs and increase the quality of services. In addition, these advancements can arguably provide different facilities that enable consumers to become empowered to provide as well as receive informational and emotional support (Åkesson, Saveman, & Nilsson, 2007), which are the constructs of the social support.

Current national spending on e-health plans is rising in the UK whereby in 2010 £12.8 billion was allocated in a national programme for information technology for health services. In the US in 2010, $38 billion was utilised for e-health investment (Black et al., 2011). This arguably demonstrates that governments are prepared to make investments that will help them to address issues in the health sector (Black et al., 2011). However, developing countries such as Iran have no clear plan to develop their spending on e-health plans. This is exacerbated by the weakness of Electronic services (E-services) in Iran. Developing health communities can be a solution to improve public health leading to increased quality of services and satisfaction.

Therefore the reported case investigates the potential of online communities for development of health care in Iran and examines the social relationship of individuals on online health communities. It is noted with the proposition of how social support aids online health communities in Iran. In effect, do social media provide satisfaction to Iranian patients using online health communities and finally, how can social media improve health care both in Iran and internationally.