The Great Divide: Social Mediaʼs Role in Bridging Healthcareʼs Generational Shift

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 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.