Since May of 2009, I have been posting almost daily tweets on how healthcare orgs might use social media. @John_Norris with the tag #hcsm
I finished up the first 100 tips in late September 2009.
I did the second 100 tips in late February of 2010.
The third set of 100 tips were completed by August.
The example I use is Twitter, but any microblogging and socially connected platform would do. I put together some of my thoughts in a presentation, “Hyper-Local Social Media and Healthcare” or better known as “@mayoclinic has good info, why should I listen to you?”
The final 65 are below, some are seasonal, some are local, so your mileage may vary!
Help students with health homework? OK, but no test answers.
Tips to make sure Santa’s Workshop is safe? Ask your ER & facilities folks about safety measures around the workbench.
It’s about 50 shopping days (or so) until Christmas, health pros recommend physical and mental exercise gifts for your locals
Any particular birds migrating through your locale? Interesting clouds? A rainbow? Get folks outside and into the fresh air.
Tweet promote healthy fund-raising activities for local orgs- swimathons, walkathons, bikeathons…good cause?great solution!
How to reach out &/or counter non-evidence based cures? Citations, Expertise, offer yourself as the alternative. Maybe no win
How about Twitter art show with your followers. Not just smileys 🙂 http://bit.ly/dc9Tac
Might your orgs spiritual healers have a feed that incorporates the daily rituals of all major religions?
Your Med Librarian help construct good Twitter queries for your peeps < “quit smoking” near:”san francisco” 🙂 -drugs >
As Fall turns to Winter, might it be a good time to tweet about loss? Mediations on grief? Help for those before as well.
Do your pros have any tips on how to get ready for ski season? How about asking your local resort?
Dancing contests on TV. Anyway to encourage watchers to move with the dancers?
Most pros have a few pearls of wisdom gleaned over the years that they bestow upon the laity. Ask yours.
Share closely guarded secrets just between you & your followers. Doc’s plans to live forever? Nurses that haven’t aged?.
What psychographic do tweets match? Chance to educate on Energy drinks, Gen Y health concerns, carpal tunnel? Other topics?
Time to plant trees. Good for air, environment, health. Our local soil,water&conservation sells cheap trees. Any local options?
How might microblogging help those with memory difficulties? Reminders from others? Notes to self? This media is just starting
Tweet a 15 min desk yoga routine at 12:05 local time. Trade encouragements, favorite uplifting quotes, and a few haiku’s.
Local tread-millers,stationary bikers, might do well with coaching/encouragement- a series of tweets for an hour in the eve/am
Winterize your car, home, and yard for a safer/healthier season. Any local do’s and dont’s?
Voting is coming up in the US, can your feed discuss candidates, issues, propositions? If not, you might say why.
This year’s Oktoberfest bans smoking. That would have been unheard of not that long ago. Local traditions that can do the same?
What are the softest walk/running trails near you?Ones that are best for the knees, or barefoot runners.Tweet from the trail.
Conditioning tips for Fall/Winter activities such as skiing, ice skating, and shoveling snow (Really, http://bit.ly/93PbMi)
Fairs are popular at this time locally. Tweet, or two, about proper eating. (This may be useful http://bit.ly/akCDDK )
What kind of cognitive exercises are available at your local galleries and museums?
What healthy things do your pros do with a one hour lunch? In the Winter?
Ideas for healthy, budget, bento style meals…ask around. (I do my own nut and fruit mix)
Flu season coming soon.Good time to start posting hand washing, shots, symptoms, and care
Any local gardening staff recommend inside veg/herb gardens for Winter? Seeds and instructions may be a good give-away.
What do you keep in your pocket/purse to help your imagination? (me= paper and pen) tips to enhance life/cognition
Time healthy lung advice at meals, breaks, & 4:20 — when smokers may feel the urge. http://bit.ly/NsHDv
Medical ID Bracelets, Necklaces, Wallet cards, what do your health pros look for? What do Ur peeps wear?
Favorite Yoga pose? I like the Tree Pose myself, how about ur health folks?
Common courtesies to help with accessibility, any tips from your staff?.
School starting give opportunity to educate parents on child’s vision. Tweet some classic symptoms.
Around here Fall is starting. Any local, seasonal, injuries seen at this time? Slick roads? Back to school? Football?
How to mend a broken heart? Maybe your followers, cardiologists, mental health pros, and social workers have some tips.
Help people visualize good weight? BMI calc? Waist measurement? Flickr Pool? (http://bit.ly/tv8FR) Can it be done in a tweet?
Wallet info cards & micro-blogging are similar. Can Ur health org come up with short things things folks want to remember?
Still hot around here. Ask local Red Cross to provide water safety tips. Any special hazards at local swimming holes?
Yelp is good for food reviews, but local dept of health may be a good place to check too. Let folks know how.
TweetGraph, Obesity in US:…………………………………………………………………0000000000000000000000000
Anything about Ur health org that people might not know? Origins, Pro bono work, research, etc…? Let us in on Ur secrets.
Local noon tweet about washing hands before and after lunch. (Do the local schools allow this before lunch?)
Live Tweet during a medical TV show, or documentary. Turns it into a community learning experience.
Run an online auction via Twitter for a good cause. Put up simple so that all can participate.
Healthcare Pros looking for tweet ideas? I’ve compiled >300 of mine at http://bit.ly/b5E2MJ, #hcmktg, #healthcare
What’s in your GORP mix? Exchange healthy snack ideas w ur nutritionists (less candy bits) Any local ingredients? #mixednuts
Share healthy commuter tips- snacks, exercises in the car, learn a language, play harmonica (me) Nothing 2 distracting ‘tho.
New month.What should go on the calendar? Check UP? 5 fruits/vegs a day? 8 hours of sleep ? Weekend at beach? me…lose 5 lbs.
What’s your favorite salad ingredient? Today I’m going with garbanzo beans. #SaladMix
CPR Change shows need for getting the word out. Feed and hashtag for local 1st responders and 1st aid groups to discuss.
Local tips for summer allergy folks? Room cleaning/decorating ideas? What’s blooming this week? (For US: http://bit.ly/jzTXR)
Hot weekends and yard work are common around here. If your folks are similar, tweet some hot temp tips: http://bit.ly/aXVJ7g
Any local reports of whooping cough? Symptoms to watch for? Address current health events like the one in Cali.
Any local vacations to recommend- ones that may be particularly healthy? weekend jaunts and the like?
Join your friend’s parties. Have ur health org play a hand at the local bridge club by proxy.
Staff & non-age appropriate exercise? Middle age skateboarders, retiree unicyclists, mid-life yo-yo junkies? try the new!
Is you health org in Foresquare or Yelp? Why and why not
Be sure to publicize Twitter accessibility helpers such as http://bit.ly/3wyqQC.
Recommend local lectures, community college classes, on health and care topics. Maybe arrange a tweet up there.
Any tips Ur health pros can share about #mosquito bites? I, for one, would be interested. Local bugs & itches?
When temps are in the high 90’s fans are not enough, need a cool bath/shower or AC. This and more at http://bit.ly/9X5wV
U hear a lot about how much water to drink these days. Don’t over prescribe. Check the facts. (e.g. http://bit.ly/bqQ7D)
De-bunk local hot weather myths. Ask around to see what your clients think. (old, but informative: http://bit.ly/druFkG)
Hot weather…check out the CDC guide and tweet local solutions. http://bit.ly/4iESwI
Any local analysis of the RWJ Obesity 2010 report? It’s been on main stream news (http://bit.ly/bcZLe7)
Hope these are helpful for those in the day-to-day struggle of having something meaningful to say.
I am releasing these list with a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution / ShareAlike license so feel free to use, modify, and pass them around.
