As you probably know by now, we assist clients in developing strategic, sustainable social media campaigns that are meaningful to their target audiences. What you may not know is that before embarking on this project, we perform a full social media assessment because every company is different and not every social media platform is right for you.

To provide advice for effectively launching a social media campaign, we’ve invited John Lynn to discuss insight into his success with social media and the Healthcare Scene Blog Network.

John (or as many of you may know him on Twitter, @techguy) is a leading social media influencer in the healthcare space, managing 14 blogs and a Twitter account with nearly 4,000 followers.

Dodge: What made you decide to begin blogging about healthcare and ultimately launch the Healthcare Scene blog network?

Lynn: Initially I just started with one blog and was really just bored on a weekend. My day job was implementing an EMR in a health and counseling center along with providing top to bottom IT support. I did have the original goals of showing my knowledge of EMR for future jobs and getting to the top of Google for the search term EMR, but otherwise I was just playing around. I saw it as a great way to learn about EMR and to pass that knowledge forward. (more…)

HIMSS is only a week away, and everyone is on information overload. More emails, more meetings, more news. So, how do you prioritize what you read and what you skip?

HIStalk has been around since 2003 and remains one of the premier online resources for healthcare technology news as well as one of the most popular sites to sponsor. We’ve invited Inga to discuss how the blog rises above the ever-increasing online “noise,” her tenure at HIStalk and what she looks forward to at this year’s HIMSS.

Dodge: HIStalk was one of the first must-read blogs in the healthcare space. Did you and Mr. H have any idea it would turn into what it is today?

Inga: No, neither of us anticipated this level of success! This month we should hit our 5 millionth visitor, which is mind-boggling. Mr. H would tell you that in the early years he was thrilled when 20 people a day read the blog and was amazed when a company offered to sponsor. When I came on board five years ago, we had about 12 sponsors and today it’s pushing 150. Mr. H is the star and the genius behind it all, and I am just happy to be along for the ride. I never anticipated my few hours a week of writing would turn out to be what it is today. It’s the best job ever.

Dodge: As online editorial becomes a primary platform for publishers, how does HIStalk manage to rise above the “noise”?

Inga: Mr. H refuses to sell out. For example, when we have a sponsor sign on, we let them know that their sponsorship does not preclude them being called out for a misstep. Thus, when an ugly story comes our way, we don’t hide the truth or even sugarcoat it, just because a company is a sponsor. Mr. H is also a master at examining a complex situation and explaining its meaning in simple terms. He is able to look beyond the obvious and identify the bigger implications. His opinions are heavily influenced by his years of experience on the provider side, but balanced by his solid grasp of the business world.  Thus, I think HIStalk rises above the noise because Mr. H “hears” better than everyone else. (more…)

Once again something is exciting and new! Is Google+ just a fad, or does it truly have the potential to be a leading social media platform? What are the benefits to healthcare? From a PR, media relations and marketing perspective, what should you know? How should you get involved? Should you even get involved?

Here’s a bit of insight and a few of our favorite articles on the subject…
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For the sake of argument, we’re all going to pretend everyone reading this has passed social media 101 – you’re on Twitter, you’re on Facebook, and you’ve achieved 100% completion on your LinkedIn profile.

If you haven’t, no worries. Read this, this and this. Then come back. We’ll wait…

Great! Now, let’s move on from social media 101 to social media 1001. Even the pros make mistakes on these platforms because most of us are moving so fast, we don’t stop to think about regularly proofing our profiles or ways to improve our communication.

Here are a few things to mull over:

Twitter: Keep it short-er. – So, by now you know that your tweets need to stay within 140 characters. What you may not realize, however, is that if someone wants to reply to you and copy your message, or manually retweet you (which many still do), they’ll need space too. By not giving any wiggle room, others might wind up editing your tweet [incorrectly], ignoring it all together, or using your info but removing your @name. To encourage involvement, a good rule of thumb is to keep tweets just a bit shorter – about 90 to 110 characters whenever possible.
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Studies show up to 65 percent of the population are visual learners, and this doesn’t change as we graduate college and step out of the classroom. Images can help your organization communicate a message clearly and quickly, but only if you use them correctly.

A few mistakes:

1.)    Misleading your audience. A complex idea can be conveyed through an image; this is what makes them such valuable tools. However, you can confuse your audience by using the wrong visual. For example, if your message states, “Save money,” don’t use a clip art image of a thumbs-up sign because they are doing a “good job” saving money. The point of an image is to support your statement. Visualize the amount of money they would save with your product by using a line chart showing increased profits over time. (more…)

“Going green” can be simple…sometimes. It’s easy enough to buy locally farmed food or plant a garden. However, an eco-friendly philosophy can be a bit hazier in a complex field like healthcare. A hospital or practice needs sterile equipment, water and energy–and a lot of it. These organizations also naturally generate waste–and a lot of it. So how can you help your customers embrace green initiative without causing concern it will compromise their level of care or overhaul their entire routine? And, how can vendors benefit?

Going green

Most healthcare organizations are intimidated by eco-friendly practices that seem too expensive and time-intensive to implement. However, there are a few top ways for you to help your customers “go green” without breaking their budget and work flow. Here are a few ideas:

1. Save energy; product initiative. Hospitals and practices can have hundreds if not thousands of florescent or incandescent bulbs, and switching to energy-saving LED bulbs can save these businesses a considerable amount of energy cost throughout the year. These products are also sold at a premium and are considered worth the investment because they last up to three times as long as traditional bulbs, offering companies long-term savings. If you produce medical devices, assess the current market and see where you can improve your product to be more energy-efficient. If your device currently out-performs competitive products, consider branding your product with an environmentally conscious spin.
2. Reduce waste; recyclable materials. According to a recent research analysis by Johns Hopkins, hospitals are the second largest producers of waste behind the food industry in the United States. It is also estimated that the industry accrues 4 billion pounds of waste each year.  Most hospitals and practices are not cognizant of how much waste its facility amasses daily, much less annually. Syringes, blue wrap and packaging are just three examples of daily waste that can be easily recycled, making this one of the most effective and easiest ways for healthcare businesses to show green initiative. Are your products recyclable? Do you educate your customers on how to recycle your product and how much it can lower their organization’s carbon footprint?
3. Be aware; eco-savvy goods. Providers want to make smart purchasing decisions. Be a resource for your customers by being aware of your product’s environmental benefits – whether direct or indirect. From refurbished healthcare tools to technology that reduces paper use to sterilization equipment that uses steam instead of chemicals, suppliers and vendors need to actively work to meet greener standards. When reducing a facility’s carbon footprint, every little bit counts, so see how you can position your company as the greener choice.

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