5 Ways Pinterest Can Be Used for Patient Education in Healthcare

Pinterest is an image-driven social network that has rocketed in popularity in the last couple of years.

Pinterest works as a way to visually organize things on the Internet via “Boards,” which act kind of like folders, to organize thoughts into certain categories or interests. As more and more people use the Internet to search about healthcare, Pinterest is a way to organize the information they find, also allowing for them to share content easily with others. The other potential benefit from Pinterest is to reach people when they’re in various Internet “mindsets.” It can be a way to reach the patient when they’re not necessarily concerned with a particular problem at the moment (i.e. searching for specific health information for an issue they have right now). From medical device marketing to health infographics for patient education, Pinterest can provide a medium for reaching patients to remind people of the many aspects of their life in which health plays an important role.

Pinterest is a good medium for patient marketing and education because many people learn best visually. Images can help convey information that would be much harder to digest in words. It can also serve as a good reference, and is more shareable.

What can Healthcare marketers do? Use Pinterest to inform patients about:

1. How the body works

Giving patients a better understanding of how the body works will help them understand problems they may have and the treatments that are available. It also helps patients better identify issues to communicate with their doctor when they know where things are, how they work, and what they’re called.

2. How medical procedures work

When a patient understands how a medical procedure works they may feel more comfortable getting it done. A patient who understands the procedure is also probably less likely to be as anxious about the procedure if they know what is going to happen. Patients can also be informed of procedures or treatment options that they may not have been familiar with before.

3. How medical devices work

Giving people illustrations about how a medical device works can not only help patients who are currently using the device, but can also help to bring awareness to other patients who may not have known about the device. Patients who are using the device can become more familiar with how the device is actually working.

4. General wellness and maintaining good health

Pinterest is a good way to give patients reminders about how to take care of their  health in general. Visuals can serve as reference points that can be digested easily. Imagery can also be an effective tool for conveying information in a way that resonates with patients more effectively.

5. Diseases, medical conditions, and illness prevention

interest can be used to generate awareness for diseases and how they are identified and managed. Images can be used to illustrate the way a disease affects the body and what kinds of symptoms can be present. Health infographics and other images serve as powerful vehicles for educating patients.

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