Many caregivers are going online and to social networks for all types of health-related information and guidance.

A recent study of the caregiver decision making process and role of the Internet has found that 91 percent of caregivers conduct their own research after receiving a health care provider recommendation for their loved one.

In the study, 92 percent of respondents consider the Internet a valuable source for healthcare information. Of these caregivers, 71 percent are online several times each day.

Of the 210 caregivers surveyed, 78 percent indicated that while they would rely on a physician for recommendations on the need for care, they would ultimately decide independently which care provider best suited their needs.

Sixty-five percent of respondents visit health care news sites and blogs, while half are users or contributors on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. This indicates that moving forward, health care and home care agencies will need to reach caregivers directly on the Internet early in the decision making process instead of relying on physician referrals for lead generation.

The complete caregiver study is available on Walker Marketing’s new website. 

Source: Walker Marketing http://www.walker-marketing.com