Table 1

Characteristics of US hospitals using Twitter

Followers (n=2349)Sentiment (n=297)Proportion of hospitals in sentiment quartiles
MetricMedianIQRMedianIQRHighest quartileLowest quartilep Value
Region0.392
 Northeast666188–26860.2780.124–0.3770.270.31
 Midwest981176–28810.2960.263–0.3320.330.20
 West437118–14260.2130.213–0.2930.020.17
 South832183–25220.3000.280–0.3340.390.31
Urban0.379
 Yes1087303–30690.2930.244–0.3340.770.93
 No36470–18710.3010.263–0.3340.230.07
Bed count0.037*
Small (<100)43972–21980.3120.270–0.3380.410.13
Medium (100–299)622166–21820.2940.270–0.3340.240.30
Large (300+)1610527–35920.2800.222–0.3310.350.57
Nurse-patient ratio0.395
 Above national853151–30780.3010.270–0.3380.590.39
Below national741182–21990.2830.223–0.3340.410.61
Profit status<0.001*
Public23748–15490.2630.112–0.2990.060.26
Private non-profit1115281–30080.3010.263–0.3340.880.74
Private for-profit327103–9340.2800.281–0.3260.060.00
Teaching hospital0.242
Yes1359382–34980.2850.223–0.3320.450.67
No527119–20050.3010.270–0.3340.550.33
Medicare0.617
 Above national605138–21850.2980.265–0.3340.550.37
Below national1187247–32280.2940.228–0.3340.450.63
Medicaid1
 Above national756160–24590.2950.227–0.3380.610.65
Below national819187–28280.2980.270–0.3340.390.35
  • *p<0.05.