Talent Circles

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

How to Overcome Obstacles in Healthcare Implementing a Social Media Program




By Jessica Miller-Merrell



As I mentioned in Part 1 of this healthcare social networking series, I see a great deal of opportunity in social networks being leveraged in the Healthcare industry.  Whether it’s building a relationship with future employees or current ones, social media technologies can be used to foster an employee and employer relationship that creates channels of communication instead of traditionally shutting them down. 

As an employee, one of my biggest frustrations with an organization was the feeling that no one was listening.  With social media the conversation and engagement is always flowing and organizations can use Big Data to help uncover employee or candidate trends and employee trends that help refine and support our current workplace communication efforts. 

Healthcare like Finance are two of the highest regulating and monitoring industries making organizations slow to adopt social media.  I see obstacles as an opportunity for competitive advantage because if everyone was doing something, it wouldn’t be as effective.  And we’ve already seen that social media is still relatively new to Healthcare from the 2011 Deloitte Report with 14% of U.S. hospitals using social media and social networking as an external facing marketing and communication tool. 

Chances are you have an interest in using social media at your organization.  Maybe it’s working with Talent Circles and building a talent network to create a candidate experience and community your organization owns and can source from.  Or maybe you are looking to make a case for launch an internal communication network using platforms like Yammer, IBM Connections, Jive, or Chatter.  Whatever your reason, developing the dialogue with senior management and overcoming corporate hurdles can be over half the battle. 

HIPPA Privacy Concerns

HIPP is a common obstacle for anyone wanting to communicate in the healthcare industry.  Communications between health care providers and their patients are subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which limits insurance plans, hospitals and physicians from answering questions on a specific patient’s health information across a social network.  Concerns like this don’t impact an external talent network as the large majority of community members are potential employees who do not have access to patient records.  Talent network members who are company representatives can be easily controlled and monitored. 

One of the benefits I see to establishing an internal social network is that information, messaging, and conversations unlike traditional social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are kept in house.  Organizations allow for a place of discussion like the break room water cooler making it less likely employees will share opinions, patient information, and other news outside of the internal social network. 

Establishing a Cost Baseline

One of my favorite ways to get executive buy in for a project like leveraging social media is to launch a pilot program where the risk is minimal, participants are hand selected, and we establish a 90 day window where the new program is tested before being implemented on a larger scale.  This helps us determine the real cost, change our approach based on the pilot, and determine the cost baseline for the project. 

Company executives are much more comfortable piloting a program first and dipping their toe in the water.  For many executives, social networking is still considered a fad.  By demonstrating the business case for social media beyond traditional marketing and communication, you can show them real value. 

Resources

According to a Greystone report, two-thirds of surveyed hospitals have not developed a plan on how to use their existing social networking sites and 70 percent of hospitals have less than four people devoted to social networking.  Maybe your organization has tried to launch a social media program in the past with mixed results.  Chances are your recruiting and human resources teams are already using social media in small amounts.  Whether it’s job distribution using social media or sourcing on LinkedIn, these are HR-focused social media activities, and my opinion is that your external recruiting network and your internal social network projects should be developed, executed, and maintained by HR.  Be prepared to discuss time commitments and who is responsible for the development and continued management of your social networking program. 

Overcoming obstacles when establishing your social networking program at a healthcare facility, hospital, or wherever is not easy.  With a little preparation, research, and planning you can implement a customized community that dramatically impacts your organization’s bottom line. 


Read Part 1 of our Healthcare Social Networking Series.

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology strategist specializing in social media.  She’s an author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. You can follow her on Twitter @blogging4jobs



9 comments:

  1. Very interesting post. Thank you for pleasure of reading.
    paperwritings

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your great post. This blog is great.
    veterinary books download

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fine information, many thanks to the author. It is puzzling to me now, but in general, the usefulness and importance is overwhelming. my siteVery much thanks again and best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for posting this.http://www.iessaywriting.net/I wish it was able to be translated, but for some reason Google toolbar isn't working. I copy pasted it into another application and read the post. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A certified embarking pro in a gucci replica class this really is credited through U . s Embarking Organisation provides some of the most knowledge for becoming familiar with that you're most likely possessing today's and additionally specific sailor man workout. A certified pro is the feel and additionally skills to make sure you customize all the embarking workout for the degree experience and additionally must have to earn any chance to uncover like profitable and additionally enjoyment as possible. You’re able to subsequently turned into ASA skilled chanel replica, of course, if you will do, you could look and feel at ease to continue embarking all on your own most definitely discovering you've got located any proficiency from top just by any pro this really is skilled through U . s Embarking Organisation. There is 6 basic ASA modules and additionally qualification to realize the moment understanding how to breeze. All of these qualification really are Bareboat Renting, Elementary Keelboat, Elementary Seaside Sailing, Seaside chanel replica, Radar Recommendation, and additionally Complex Seaside Sailing. Any ASA skilled pro brings superior workout and additionally illustrating, at the same time also offer numerous hands-on feel. It will be effort (adequate any instructor’s guidance and additionally help and advice) to try the way to take the all the helm and additionally traverse all the sailboat your body. You should learn to really anchorman and additionally ipod dock all the louis vuitton replica likewise. When we take out embarking is mostly a absolutely love along with method louis vuitton outlet uk. Just for some, embarking certainly is the inspiring dodge from hum-drum from the uninspiring and additionally monotonous activities.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great post,Thanks for providing us this great knowledge,Keep it up.
    A good blog.
    Visit to friv 4 than play games2girls 2 and play game kids games ! have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is imperative that crucial read blog review blog site.
    amazon gift cards walmart

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great Screen-print As a result I’m a lot surprised to obtain this type of topic... My partner and I certainly not even been allowed to which will website really just lately. Preferred a necessary call time after time and there was clearly various excellent remarks online. Really splendid screen-print! Previously satisfy please click these Payday Loans Lemon-Grove Bless one noticeably persevere the great perform the job.

    ReplyDelete