title: The great divide: social media's role in bridging healthcare's generational shift.
abstract: Social media, a resource largely untapped in the healthcare field, presents opportunities and advantages and, if used properly, can innovate healthcare and create a competitive advantage for adopters. Many organizations have considered social media but dismissed its advantages as fleeting products of the new generation entering the workforce: the millennials. However, the millennial generation has assumed a greater presence in clinical and administrative positions as the baby boomer generation prepares for retirement. This article advocates the adoption of social media in healthcare organizations as a strategic advantage in connecting with their patient population and recruiting and retaining millennial staff amid the generational shift of the healthcare workforce.
authors.affiliation: Ohio University, USA. ms123806@ohio.edu
authors.forename: Meredith M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sarringhaus
mesh_terms: D003146:Communications Media / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations / Q000639:trends; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*