Impact of Social Networking of Patients and Doctors on the Quality of Medical Care

At all times, health care was one of the most socially important spheres. Improving the quality of people's lives and increasing life expectancy – these are key purposes of each Government.One of the most innovative methods of solving the problems of health care is informatization of the sphere, which means developing various programs, internet services and medical social networks.Social networks of doctors and patients are innovations in the Russian health care system, but existing services are developing very rapidly and attract a huge number of users. This fact proves the actuality of such services in the process of healthcare development.The aim of this study is the research and the analysis of social networks of physicians and patients as a tool for improving the healthcare quality.To achieve this goal the following tasks should be carried out:1)analyze the theoretical aspects of healthcare quality;2)determine the value of social networks as a mechanism for improving quality of care;3)analyze Russian social networks of physicians and their impact on healthcare quality of care;4)analyze Russian social networks of patients and their impact on healthcare quality of care;5)give some proposals and recommendations to improve social networks of physicians and patients, which can help in healthcare quality improvement.The object of this work is social networks of physicians and patients. The subject is the impact of social networks of physicians and patients on improving the healthcare quality.Major research methods of this study are two in-depth expert interviews and netnography of Russian social networks of physicians and patients.According to the results of the study some conclusions can be worked out.Firstly, the market of social networks of doctors and patients in Russia is at the initial stage of its development. This is reflected in the number of registered users and in its’ functional.Secondly, the most striking and technically well-developed social networks have proved their popularity and demand.Thirdly, the analysis of social networks of physicians and patients have shown that these resources are able to influence the quality of care through the active exchange of information between doctors and patients.Also in this study the author has given some suggestions and recommendations to improve medical social networks, which can help in healthcare quality improvement.