Is Social Media the Medicine that Healthcare Needs? [#Infographic]

As states report widespread high flu levels this year, healthcare providers and patients are taking their health-related discussions and concerns to social media.

The Google Flu Trends application is a prime example of the rise of social health. It counts flu-related search queries to estimate worldwide flu activity in real-time.

An infographic released by AlliedHealthWorld.com explains why more people are choosing social health to address their health concerns.

Your social media friends may not care that you had a steak for dinner and were kind enough to post a picture of it. However, 23 percent of your friends care enough about your health to follow your health-related updates online.

Nearly 1 in 3 consumers discuss health-related issues online. Along with emotional support and comprehensive coverage, social health also provides people with immediate answers to their health questions. And, with nearly 5,000 U.S. health organizations using social networking sites, there are plenty of answers to go around.

More importantly, for businesses, tracking social activity could help predict cold/flu outbreaks in the office, reducing the spread of germs and a loss of productivity.

If you are concerned about catching the flu this season, check out the full infographic below and take your health to the tweets.