Panel Paper:
Social Media, Advertising, and Hospital Quality
*Names in bold indicate Presenter
This study draws on a unique dataset of hospital-initiated online Facebook content and consumer responses to that content. We apply algorithms of unsupervised learning of linguistic content to identify common topics. We then identify the topics that elicited the highest overall number of responses, as well as by sentiment. We then consider how hospital’s social media strategy, defined by the topics in their posts and public response, affect financial measures of performance from the Medicare Cost Reports. Finally, we consider how advertising strategy, including expenditures on television, print, and outdoor ads affect patient choice using discharge data.
The analysis focuses on the following research question: does social media engagement and advertising affect patient choice of hospitals? The findings of our study apply to broader policy debates as to how hospital advertising affects patient choice and hospital profits. To date, the majority of healthcare advertising literature has focused on pharmaceutical advertising. This study’s contributes to policy by examining how advertising in a credence good market, like hospital services, rather than experience goods, like medications, affect patient demand.