Study finds correlation between Facebook ratings and readmissions
A study on social media found a link between hospitals' Facebook ratings and how well they performed on 30-day readmission rates.
Hospitals with fewer patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days also had higher ratings on the social media site's five-star rating scale, according to findings published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
“These findings add support to the small but growing body of literature suggesting that unsolicited feedback on social media and hospital ratings sites corresponds to patient satisfaction and objective measures of hospital quality,” wrote the study authors. “Healthcare organizations may find that allowing ratings on social media sites warrants increased attention.”
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston compared 315 hospitals that performed better than the national average on 30-day all-cause, unplanned hospital readmission rates from July 2011 through June 2012, with 364 hospitals that performed worse than the national average during that time. Looking at user-generated metrics on the hospitals' Facebook pages and how that correlated with their Hospital Compare measure for readmissions from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, they found that those performing better than the national average on 30-day readmissions were more likely to use Facebook than hospitals that did not perform well. Hospitals with high rates of unplanned readmissions “may have more to lose from potential negative feedback,” the authors noted.
The study also found that whether a hospital performed better or worse than the national average, those with Facebook pages generally had significantly lower 30-day unplanned readmission rates compared to those without a page. A one-star increase on the Facebook rating system was associated with increased odds of the hospital having fewer readmissions by a factor of five.
Limitations include confirmation bias because users may be inclined to provide higher ratings for facilities already perceived to be of higher quality. And, Facebook ratings may continue to reflect historical trends even if a hospital has improved or worsened.
The authors pointed to the convenience of social media for consumers compared with online tools that provide hospital rankins and ratings. “Social media is likely among the easiest to use and most readily accessible,” they wrote. “Continuing to develop quality measures that are understandable and accessible to patients is important in order to ensure that measures on social media do not become overvalued, given inherent biases related to online ratings."
Hospitals with fewer patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days also had higher ratings on the social media site's five-star rating scale, according to findings published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
“These findings add support to the small but growing body of literature suggesting that unsolicited feedback on social media and hospital ratings sites corresponds to patient satisfaction and objective measures of hospital quality,” wrote the study authors. “Healthcare organizations may find that allowing ratings on social media sites warrants increased attention.”
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston compared 315 hospitals that performed better than the national average on 30-day all-cause, unplanned hospital readmission rates from July 2011 through June 2012, with 364 hospitals that performed worse than the national average during that time. Looking at user-generated metrics on the hospitals' Facebook pages and how that correlated with their Hospital Compare measure for readmissions from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, they found that those performing better than the national average on 30-day readmissions were more likely to use Facebook than hospitals that did not perform well. Hospitals with high rates of unplanned readmissions “may have more to lose from potential negative feedback,” the authors noted.
The study also found that whether a hospital performed better or worse than the national average, those with Facebook pages generally had significantly lower 30-day unplanned readmission rates compared to those without a page. A one-star increase on the Facebook rating system was associated with increased odds of the hospital having fewer readmissions by a factor of five.
Limitations include confirmation bias because users may be inclined to provide higher ratings for facilities already perceived to be of higher quality. And, Facebook ratings may continue to reflect historical trends even if a hospital has improved or worsened.
The authors pointed to the convenience of social media for consumers compared with online tools that provide hospital rankins and ratings. “Social media is likely among the easiest to use and most readily accessible,” they wrote. “Continuing to develop quality measures that are understandable and accessible to patients is important in order to ensure that measures on social media do not become overvalued, given inherent biases related to online ratings."
Beth Walsh,
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.