The Patient and Family Resource Centre at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton Ontario serves the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). The PFRC receives approximately 1000 patient visits each year, but this is a fraction of the actual number of patients seen annually at the JCC. In an effort to better connect with and reach out virtually to more of our patients in this large geographic area, the PFRC, with Hamilton Health Sciences Public Relations, piloted a Facebook page in the summer of 2013.
The use of social media has allowed us to help alleviate some of the isolation that is too often common among cancer patients, and encourage dialogue and feedback from patients, highlight new resources in the PFRC, establish a Virtual Book Club for increased patient engagement, and keep our patients up to date with news and events in our community, related to their cancer care.
Learning Outcomes
Understand the role social media can play in engaging patients in a consumer health library setting.
Learn about strategies, tools and resources that can help your library connect with patients via social media.
Understand the limitations of social media engagement through lessons learned, what was successful, and what needs to be rethought.
