SOCIAL MEDIA

With no Marketing Department, and the recent dismissal of the Public Information Officer, there is no one at the SV Hospital whose main job is to connect and communicate with the public. When there was a marketing budget, many tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars were squandered on traditional media, such as newspaper ads. The presumptive reason for eliminating both departments was to save money. Meanwhile, the hospitals facebook page is mostly anemic and the static website is more like a great color brochure than an instrument for community engagement. Now, outreach relies more on staff going door-to-door in selected neighborhoods than anything else.

There is a better way, and it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. It's social media.

One of the objectives of this website and the SVH Forum Facebook page beyond promoting citizen involvement in the affiliation process is to encourage the Hospital to reconsider its decision to go dark when it comes to engaging the public in social media.

Hi Tom and Dariel,

I wanted to follow up on my impromptu comments from Thursday night.

I guess what I heard about the need to affiliate with another organization in order to improve the Hospital's branding raised a red flag for me. The reason the Snoqualmie Hospital remains mostly unbranded/unknown to the Valley isn't because it needs to co-brand with a larger better known organization. It's because the District has almost totally failed to tell it's own amazing story to Valley residents. The Hospital is virtually (no pun intended) AWOL on the internet and in social media. You know how great the Hospital, Clinic and staff are, but how many times have Valley residents heard the stories?

Here are some talking points in favor of deploying healthcare social media. They are as valid and relevant today as they were when first published in 2009 ...

Social Media Talking Points

For a more contemporary commentary on healthcare practice social media branding, here's a post from my friend Dr. Russell Faust ...

The Top 5 Essential Rules for any Healthcare Brand Connecting Online

I'd be happy to arrange a free video consultation with him if either of you would like (I'll provide the technology if needed).

[... personal references deleted ...]

Ever since Rodger handed out copies of the book, Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic, I've felt some sort of District affiliation with the Mayo Clinic would be fabulous. Tom, if you still have the book, it's well worth the read/reread.

Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the World’s Most Admired Service Organizations

Were the District to seek affiliation with the Mayo Clinic, I can guarantee part of their due diligence would be to see what sort of "social proof" the District has been able to earn with the Community it serves. Part of their examination might be to compare and contrast SVHD's social media presence with other healthcare providers throughout the region and state ..

Mayo Clinic Social Media Network

How well connected for example is the District with residents of Snoqualmie Ridge for whom socialmedia is second nature?

Check out this 2017 post, "30 Facts & Statistics On Social Media And Healthcare," and especially item #16 about Hospital Branding.

30 Facts & Statistics On Social Media And Healthcare

My understanding and belief is that it takes six to twelve months (or longer) before one can reasonably expect to see traction from a social media campaign [when starting from scratch]. The reason for this is that while social media might take place in internet time, relationship building still takes place irl (in real life) time. Given that, and the Board's negative reaction to my comments last night, my guess is any sort of meaningful Community outreach by the District will be a tough sell.

Imagine how different things might be were there to be a cup-half-full Millennial or Generation X member on the Board. That would take nothing away from the Board's ongoing efforts for fiscal responsibility, but it could potentially introduce new ideas and fresh approaches that might not otherwise occur to us old fogey types (sorry, don't mean to offend).

Ultimately it is for the generations to follow our's that you're working so hard to serve, right? So why not let them have a seat at the table? If nothing else, you might consider appointing a non-voting "honorary" Millennial/Gen X to the Board, though you know what my real preference would be.

In the end, the best outcome for the Valley is if the Board and Staff are able to be courageous and risk taking (entrepreneurial). That includes creating real relationships with community members through content marketing and social media. It also means thinking out of the box and being nimble during these time of tumultuous change.

Thanks for your good service to the District and Community,

Scott

Scott Scowcroft