Using social media to get health care messages out
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube gets results
It is not uncommon for health care institutions to have a web site that includes education for patients and consumers. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston is one of many. "Focused on Health," a web publication with information on healthy lifestyles that reduce the risk of cancer, is produced monthly on the Internet site.
What makes this institution stand out is its use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, iTunes, and YouTube as tools for educating consumers. These venues are used to guide consumers to "Focused on Health" and also to make better use of the content produced for the web publication by using it in ways to reach more people.
"We know that a lot of people who would benefit from our content are not coming to our web site, so if we can go where they are, they may come upon us - and that is good," says Lora Shea, MEd, a senior educational specialist in the Public Education Office at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
According to Shea, "Focused on Health" is being used as the springboard into all the various kinds of social media. For example, video produced for the publication can be placed on sites, such as YouTube, that host user-generated videos.
"It is putting that same content into another channel so the video doesn't just live on our web site it lives on YouTube and ISeeYou, which is a health care-specific YouTube," explains Shea.
In October 2008, a video titled "What to Expect at Your First Mammogram" was uploaded on YouTube, because it seemed there would be a population that would be interested in the topic. An entertainment video that features a clip from a popular situation comedy, in which the character gets a mammogram, has driven a lot of traffic to the educational content. The high visibility has to do with the fact that a video on YouTube is tagged with key words to identify its content for search purposes.
"We know we would never have gotten that amount of traffic to that piece of educational content on our own web site. That is an example of the power of pushing your content into what you may think of as an unconventional educational space for patient health-related education content," explains Shea.
To make use of audio content, much of what is produced for "Focused on Health" is housed on iTunes University web site, so it can be easily downloaded by consumers onto their iPod, personal computer, or a CD and listened to at a convenient time, such as during a long commute to work. While video also can be downloaded, for those who want audio only, this portion of the video is made available through iTunes as well.
Use of social networking
Another way M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has expanded the reach of the prevention-based messages on its web site is through social networking. It has established a presence on Facebook through a fan page, which is a public profile that allows organizations and businesses to share with Facebook users and thus direct them to their web site.
"We have a fan page about 'Focus on Health' and that gives us a platform to repurpose that same content that lives on our web, and we can point back to our web page, driving people who want additional information to our site," says Shea.
People engaging in social networking may be made aware of information from "Focused on Health" from someone in their network, as well.
Twitter is also used. This micro-blogging site makes it possible for staff members at M.D. Anderson to send messages out to the world in 140 characters or less. Messages are sent about news and buzz topics and as reminders of events, such as skin cancer screenings.
"Focused on Health" has 1,000 people following on Twitter, so when a message is sent, potentially it is read by that many people. In addition, those who read the message can resend or "re-tweet" it to their followers, expanding the reach of the message, says Shea.
"Focused on Health" lists all the different social media channels on which its content is located to make people who visit the web site aware of the other mediums in which they can access the information.
The web publication is a good source for public education material, because fresh content is posted monthly. Yearly, staff create an editorial calendar from the various cancer awareness month themes, such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. When there is not a big cancer-related focus, the site covers general health and wellness topics.
About two months before the deadline for new content, staff meet to decide on the print pieces and video. In each edition, there is a factual article with basic information, there is an interview on the topic with an expert, and an article from the perspective of a patient or cancer survivor.
Staff look for fresh ways to present messages annually, since much of the content is based on cancer awareness theme months. Sometimes, the messages change a little, but even when they don't, they need to be repeated, says Shea.
The use of technology benefits education, because messages can be delivered in so many ways that all different types of learning styles can be addressed. People can watch a video on how to apply sunscreen, listen to a message, or read a short article on the topic. In addition, having multiple ways of delivering a message means more people will have a chance to access the information. The short messages and videos also fit into busy schedules with people on the go.
Developing audio and video content can be more costly than print, therefore, the more ways it can be used, the more cost-effective it is, explains Shea.
One drawback is that it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of the use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media venues. There are no data, for example, to show that once women viewed "What to Expect at Your First Mammogram," they scheduled an appointment. However, certain data can be captured, such as whether people watch the full duration of the video.
M.D. Anderson has just launched an institutional blog that provides another forum to post information that is "buzz" worthy, says Shea.
These forms of technology provide channels to reach a new audience, she adds.
SOURCE
For more information about the use of social media to spread health messages, contact:
Lora Shea, MEd, Senior Educational Specialist, Public Education Office, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. Telephone: (713) 794-1734. E-mail: [email protected]. Web site: http://www.mdanderson.org/focused.
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