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Social media for marketing
and public relations in health care
 The health care industry is undergoing constant change. In the United States, we're on the verge of entering a new presidential administration, and the potential changes on the policy front alone are great. Beyond health care policy, the World Wide Web and social media -- blogs, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook and the like -- are dramatically affecting how consumers shop, buy goods and services, interact with friends and family, consume news and information, and find entertainment.
The intersection of the two -- changes in health care and changes in consumer habits -- is where things get really interesting.
Albert Maruggi, founder and president of Provident Partners, is also a senior fellow of the Society for New Communications Research. He's spent a good part of the past couple of years researching, speaking about and consulting on how new social media tools and communication methods are affecting the health care industry. Here you'll find a round-up of some of the fruits of that labor. If you have any questions about anything you see here -- or, more importantly, an issue you don't see here -- be sure to let us know.
Breaking through the "same old" health care marketing (audio)
In this podcast with Larissa Rodriquez, director of care delivery marketing for HealthPartners, we'll uncover the story behind Petey and Pokey. That would be Petey P. Cup and Pokey the Syringe, HealthPartners' humorous new mascots, which have fueled an online PR push that includes using Facebook and YouTube to reach consumers.
Storytelling Using New Media (video)
This video is recap of Albert's presentation at the Minnesota Health Strategy and Communications Network's annual summer conference. He features additional insights from Warren Johnson, marketing director for MidMichigan Health; Elizabeth Tracey, director of electronic media for Johns Hopkins Medicine; Kathryn Rolston, producer for Real Savvy Moms; and Sona Mehring, founder of Caring Bridge.
Want to Hear About My Gallbladder? (article)
Albert wrote this article for Media Bullseye, a magazine for media and communications professionals, about how social media and open dialogue across the industry are starting to affect health care companies.
Sermo: The online doctors' lounge (audio)
Dr. Michael Tomblyn of the University of Minnesota joins Albert in this audio recording to discuss Sermo, the online social network "created by physicians, for physicians." In some ways it replicates the doctors' lounge in a hospital, without the geographical boundaries. Consider the implications of reaching more physicians to discuss ideas -- even if they are seemingly unique to your hospital.
Understanding Cancer TV: Health care and integrated media formats (audio)
In this episode of his Marketing Edge podcast, Albert features an interview with Liz Conway of Supportive Oncology Services about UnderstandingCancer.TV. The site incorporates expert advice about a complex topic in a variety of well-produced formats: text, audio and video. It also has a related show produced specifically for television, on the ION Network, and other social media platforms.
Is health care following the path of manufacturing in the U.S.? (article)
In this blog post, Albert discusses the idea of global health care, also known as "medical tourism." Advocates of global health care will use the term "globalization," and opponents of global health care will use the term "outsourcing." The issue outlines how the future of an American orthopedic surgeon (an other health care practitioner) might well follow that of the American assembly-line worker -- both now have a larger pool of people around the world who do what they do.
Other events:
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