I recently listened to a group of health care public relations professionals discuss their social media efforts. Several organizations they represented had already stepped into the social media realm. Others still had not, which is not surprising considering that only one in six hospitals has a social media presence, according to Ed Bennett, director of Web strategy at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and one of the industry’s experts on social media.
Some concerns about jumping into social media are industry specific. The big one that comes to mind is HIPAA, which was designed to protect patients from disclosure of protected health information. You don’t have to look too far to see serious consequences when patient confidentiality is breached via social media. Other concerns were more typical of organizations approaching social media cautiously: how do I find time to engage in social media given all of my other responsibilities, how do I monitor what others are saying about us, how do I respond to a negative post?
These are all legitimate concerns, but the biggest concern among organizations not participating in the social media conversation is just that: not participating in the conversation. If you are not part of the conversation, someone else may be telling your story. That means you’re missing a golden opportunity to positively engage with your stakeholders. Or, worse, only part of the story is being told and you’re not there to tell your side. You undoubtedly have great stories to tell. This is your opportunity to tell them directly to those who need and want to hear them.
There are several health systems that have built excellent “digital front doors,” which is really what your Internet presence represents. The Cleveland Clinic has a great Facebook page where you can find facts about the organization linking back to the system’s web site, videos that tell patient stories and a wall where potential patients are asking questions of the clinic – and getting timely answers.
The Mayo Clinic uses its Twitter presence to complement other communication efforts it has under way. It promotes its physicians appearances on radio shows, for example, taking questions via tweets. It’s also facilitated chats about health-related topics, again engaging consumers through a question-and-answer format on Twitter.
It does take a commitment to succeed in the social media realm. But you avoid the conversation at your peril. Many of our clients have already taken steps toward building a strong social media presence. We advise those who haven’t that it’s not an all-or-none proposition. What’s right for one may not necessarily be right for all. And it’s not necessary to take a headfirst plunge. There’s nothing wrong with slowly dipping your toe into social media, as long as you’re starting to get wet.
There are resources – free and otherwise – that can support the social media regimen of posting, monitoring and responding. But nothing replaces the human resource. How is your organization balancing the demands of social media? If you’re still not sure about joining the conversation, what are your considerations? Let us know — we’d love to hear your social media experiences.
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Jason Snyder is vice president of WordWrite Communications.
