Social Media: Are you engaged or do you ignore it?

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

Can health care providers afford to ignore social media?

Social Media Networking isn’t going to go away…

…and trying to ignore won’t work…

Social media is a powerful and phenomenal platform to disseminate valuable and trusted health information.  Are you engaged in social media networking or are you ignoring it?

Social media allows health care silos the opportunity to engage with each other.  Health care conversations between the silos begin to emerge, and relationships develop.  But, is that enough?

Are relationships a big enough reason to engage in social media?

It should be, however not everyone in health care is convinced.

There are health care organizations that still do not have a presence on social networking sites, there are some doctors, nurses and other health care professionals who continue to question the value of social media networking and there are health care companies that continue to remain in their own silo without engaging in social media.

At the very least, health care professionals and companies should be listening to the conversations that are happening in real-time.

Health care organizations and professionals can benefit by looking outside their silo and find out how others are successfully engaging in social media.

Social media is about connection, communication, collaboration and community.  By engaging in social media, you can create, foster and strengthen relationships, and that simply cannot be ignored.

There are excellent resources to help you begin incorporating social media into your practice, or organization.  Health care professionals who would like to expand their voice beyond their everyday work; can engage in social networks which gives them a platform to build “their brand.”  They can help raise awareness of health issues, talk about innovations in medicine, provide support and listen to the conversations by patients and consumers.

Social Media Today and HealthWorks Collective

Find out more, come and join Social Media Today and HealthWorks Collective for an invaluable Webinar, “Can Health Care Providers Afford to Ignore Social Media?

Let’s separate fact from fiction, learn why social media is important in today’s health care arena, find out how to use social media networking to your advantage, why listening is so important.  Find out how to cultivate relationships, learn why relationships and social media cannot be ignored and why social media is invaluable to your organization and practice.

This exclusive Webinar takes place on January 31, 2012 at 2:30 p.m. EST and 11:30 a.m. PST.   I’m delighted to be moderating this distinguished panel of guests.

Social Media Panel Participants Include:

  • John Glaser, CEO Health Services, Siemens Health Care
  • Edward Marx, CIO, Texas Health Resources
  • Ed Bennett,
  • Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA, Healthin30.com | The Huffington Post

About the Webinar

Marking an upheaval in the way customers interact with companies, the growth of social media is every bit as important for healthcare providers as for professionals in other industries. When employed well, social media can be a valuable tool to help you improve patient communications, increase quality of care and reduce costs.

Join HealthWorks Collective for this live Webinar to learn how providers can use social media to connect with patients and the community, while helping patients gather information about diseases, treatment, and innovations in medicine, and find support from other patients. Find out how innovative caregivers are using social tools to monitor and track patient progress, alert family members in case of emergency, and network with other caregivers for idea and information exchange. In healthcare as elsewhere, the true value of social media is to foster, preserve and strengthen relationships.  Discuss how patient-driven online communities are changing how patients learn about disease, conditions, and treatments.

Webinar participants will learn from our distinguished panel about:

  • The growing importance of social media and how digital channels can help improve patient engagement and compliance.
  • The best practices for overcoming the hurdles of building a patient social network from scratch.
  • The difference social media can make to the ways you and your hospital interact with patients and online healthcare shoppers.

Webinar

Register Here Today.  We hope you can join us and you will have the opportunity to send your questions in during the live Webinar event.

Here is a “List of 20 Excellent Social Media Networking Resources” to help you begin to engage and develop relationships.  Join the Webinar for more information and to engage with the panel members.

About the Panel:

John Glaser, Ph.D., CEO Health Services, Siemens Healthcare

John Glaser, Ph.D. currently serves as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Health Services Business Unit of Siemens Healthcare, where he is responsible for heading Siemens’ global healthcare IT business, including product development, strategy, portfolio management, financial performance, and overall customer satisfaction. In this capacity, he leads over 4,500 employees, multiple health information system brands, a robust Global Services arm, and Siemens’ world-renowned Information Systems Center. Prior to joining Siemens, Dr. Glaser was Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, Partners HealthCare, Inc.

Edward W. Marx, Senior VP and CIO, Texas Health Resources

Edward W. Marx is senior vice president and chief information officer for Texas Health Resources. Marx’s primary responsibilities include assessing current and future technology needs in support of developing and implementing a strategy and roadmap for a rational approach to information technology that aligns Texas Health systems, projects and technology support with clinical and business needs. ComputerWorld magazine named Marx to its list of Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2010.

Ed Bennett

Ed Bennett has over fifteen years experience working on the Internet, and has worn many hats – programmer, designer, consultant, information architect, start-up participant, etc. His current focus is the growing use of Social Media and its impact on health care. Ed maintains the Hospital Social Network List, which tracks the social media activities of over 1,100 U.S. Hospitals.

Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA, Moderator

Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA is an award-winning journalist, medical blogger, freelance writer, media broadcaster, speaker, consultant, health educator and registered nurse. She is founder and Editor-in-Chief of Healthin30.com.  Barbara is a featured writer at The Huffington Post and she is on the Editorial Advisory Board and consumer health educator for ShareCare.com. She is an Administrative Head Nurse (Administrative Supervisor) at a large university medical center and covers multiple medical and surgical units, critical care and women’s and children’s services.

We hope you can join us.  Register here today.

Connect with me | Stay in touch

Follow Barbara on Twitter
Visit Barbara on Facebook
Like Healthin30
Connect with Barbara on Linkedin

As always, thank you for your valuable time.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You May Also Like

Leave a Reply