The healthcare industry is shaped by growing and evolving privacy regulations, staffing shortages, and increasing demand for services. Faced with these challenges, it is easy to understand why adoption of social media for marketing, collaboration and client communication has been an uphill battle. Healthcare professionals don’t know where to begin with sites like Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. They may also have trouble understanding how these networks can enhance their existing initiatives in either marketing, support or internal operations.

1. Get Started in Social Media
for Healthcare IT
Follow us on Twitter @Perficient_HC Copyright ©2011 Perficient, Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and confidential.

2. CONTENTS
Social Technology Trends in Healthcare ......................................................................... 3
Consumer Understanding of Healthcare Technology .................................................. 3
About Perficient’s Healthcare Business Solutions ....................................................... 4
Using Twitter, In 10 Steps .............................................................................................. 5
Twitter Hash Tags........................................................................................................ 9
Lists of Healthcare IT People to Follow on Twitter .................................................... 11
Using LinkedIn – in 9 Easy Steps................................................................................... 12
LinkedIn Groups in Healthcare and Technology ........................................................ 15
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 2

3. Social Technology Trends in Healthcare
The healthcare industry is shaped by growing and evolving privacy regulations, staffing shortages, and increasing
demand for services. Faced with these challenges, it is easy to understand why adoption of social media for
marketing, collaboration and client communication has been an uphill battle. Healthcare professionals don’t know
where to begin with sites like Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. They may also have trouble
understanding how these networks can enhance their existing initiatives in either marketing, support or internal
operations.
Yet hundreds of hospitals and healthcare organizations are on Twitter. Over 800 hospitals have over 2,300 social
networking sites as of the end of November 2010, according to Ed Bennett, director of web strategy at the
1
University of Maryland Medical Center. Online communities are sprouting up from esteemed organizations such
2
as MIT, and most importantly, by US government organizations and policymakers.
As the industry grows rapidly, events, research, best practices, new ideas, innovations, case studies, discussion and
debates abound – and social media platforms provide a more instantaneous, rapid method of communicating
these occurrences and connecting. Perhaps one of the greatest results from this exchange of ideas is education:
utilizing social media, healthcare professionals can stay on top of their area of expertise and gain inexpensive
ongoing self-education. This ultimately can lead to better, more quality care for patients.
Social media sites like Twitter and LinkedIn facilitate introductions, provide profile information, and allow like-
minded professionals to connect, converse, and engage with one another ongoing.
Consumer Understanding of Healthcare Technology
Speaking of patients, we are either patients or future patients, and as the adoption of social networking and the
amount of time spent on social networks continues to grow year by year, hospitals and healthcare organizations
are going to need to learn how to serve their patients where their patients are – online – in order to stay relevant
and top of mind.
Daily use of the Internet, smart phones and social networks by physicians continues to grow. Since the last US
presidential election, healthcare has taken center stage in the public forum. From debates about universal
healthcare to the discussions of patient privacy, electronic health records, and health information exchange, there
is no denying that healthcare technology will continue to remain a very public topic of conversation and news.
1
“Social media in healthcare: Who is going beyond the basics?”, Brandon Glenn, MEDCity News
http://www.medcitynews.com/2011/01/unique-approaches-to-social-media-policy-for-hospitals/
2
“Social Media in Healthcare Marketing: Making the Case” TopRank Online Marketing Blog,
http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/10/social-media-in-healthcare-marketing-5-tips-for-approval/
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 3

4. This packet is designed to help you set up a profile for yourself on sites like Twitter & LinkedIn and begin to use
their most valuable tools and techniques for making the most of social media to drive your business.
About Perficient’s Healthcare Business Solutions
Perficient places the consumer at the forefront of healthcare technology solutions. We deliver world-class healthcare
services that foster consumer wellness and education. Our dedicated national practice, combined with Perficient's more
than 1,000 business and technology professionals, delivers innovative and intelligent solutions for hospitals and health
systems, integrated delivery networks, payors and health plans, life sciences and state and federal government agencies.
Read more about our Healthcare Solutions at HEALTHCARE.PERFICIENT.COM
Follow Perficient’s Healthcare Blog at BLOGS.PERFICIENT.COM/HEALTHCARE
Perficient’s Healthcare Experts are on Twitter at @PERFICIENT_HC
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 4

5. Using Twitter, In 10 Steps
Twitter can appear to be technical and, to some, unapproachable. However, there are truly only about 10 things
you really need to know in order to get involved on Twitter and use all of its features to make the most of your
experience.
1. Tweet
What is it? Post any message up to 140 characters.
How do I do it? Sign up for a Twitter account. Log in, and write within the field on the main page.
2. Shortened URL
What is it? Because Twitter limits any single “Tweet” to 140 characters, if you want to share an article by
posting a URL, this can take up a lot of the permitted character count.
How do I do it? Save space for your message by pasting your URL into www.bit.ly , a special free website
that instantly gives you a shorter URL for any long URL. Use the Bit.ly URL instead in your post.
3. Mention
What is it? When you mention someone, you are chatting with them publicly. You can mention someone
in your Tweet to get their attention, tell them about a good article or direct any message to them publicly.
How do I do it? Type the @ symbol before their Twitter username, and include this in your post.
4. Follow
What is it? Following someone on Twitter causes everything posted by that person to show up in your
homepage “feed”. Follow friends, business colleagues and anyone who you find interesting on Twitter.
Browse their Tweets on your homepage on a regular basis to stay connected and keep up with colleagues.
How do I do it? On a Twitter user’s profile page, click on the “+Follow” button.
5. Re-Tweet
What is it? Did you enjoy an article or Tweet posted by a user you are following? Do you want to share
that same Tweet with your network of followers?
How do I do it? There are two ways to do this:
1) On Twitter.com while logged into your account, hover over the message that you would like to Re-
Tweet, and click the “Re-Tweet” link on the right. This will post that message as a Tweet on your profile.
…or
2) Type the letters “RT” before mentioning someone (see #3 above) and then copy and paste the message
of their Tweet in full.
Re-Tweets show up like this:
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 5

6. 6. Direct Message
What is it? You can contact any Twitter user privately with a message up to 140 characters that nobody
else on Twitter can see.
How do I do it? You can do this two ways:
1) While logged in, type the letter D, then space, and then their Twitter user name (“D Perficient”). Then
write the rest of your message.
…or
2) Go to that Twitter user’s profile page. In the right column, click on the “message” link.
You can also access all of your own sent and received direct messages by going to “Messages” in the
header.
7. Find People
What is it? Find people you know who already have an account on Twitter, and grow your network of
followers.
How do I do it? Click on “Who to Follow” at the top of the page while logged in. You can then view
suggestions for who to follow, browse by interest, search by user name; find friends using your Gmail,
Yahoo or AOL email, find connections through LinkedIn, or invite friends via email address. When you find
them, follow them.
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 6

7. 8. Search
What is it? Find other Twitter users with similar interests. Find Twitter messages on popular topics and
news.
How do I do it? Use the search box in the header to search for your interests, skills, or anything at all. For
example, search for healthcare, social media, health information exchange, etc.
9. Hash Tags
What is it? A hash tag is any keyword with a pound sign (#) directly before it. Hash tags can be used when
you search to find a more specific, refined set of results. When you use them in your own Tweets, it will
help your Tweets to be found by others searching for those topics. For example, you can simply reference
healthcare in your Tweet, or you can put a pound symbol before it: “#healthcare”.
If you turn that word into a hash tag, professionals on Twitter who use Twitter often to find posts
specifically targeted to healthcare related content will be able to find it much more easily, getting your
message out in front of them more quickly. See the next page of this handout for a list of commonly
used Healthcare Technology hash tags.
How do I do it? In any post, when you are aware of a hash tag already being used on Twitter, put the
pound sign directly before that keyword. Often times, you’ll hear about a hash tag at an event. For
example, at the popular healthcare technology conference, HIMSS, the hash tag each year is typically
HIMSS followed by the year: “#HIMSS11”
You can browse a directory of commonly used hash tags here:
http://twubs.com/
You can also use the Search function (#8 above) to search for any hash tag.
10. Customize Your Profile
What is it? You should customize your profile with a photo of yourself, a bio, and a background in order to
add value to the experience of other Twitter users who visit your profile page. They will be more inclined
to follow you and engage with you if they feel like you are expressing your individuality and interests with
a customized profile.
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 7

8. How do I do it? Everything you will need to do this by clicking on “Profile” at the top of the page when
you are logged in. Click “Edit Your Profile” in the middle of the page.
1) In the “Profile” tab, upload an image of yourself, fill in your name and location, and write a one line Bio.
3) In the “Design” tab, upload a background image for your profile page or use a Twitter default
background of your choosing. 1600 x 1200 pixels is a good size to use if you are a designer and want to
create something very custom. You can also change the “Design Colors” of fonts here to match your
background.
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 8

9. Twitter Hash Tags
What is a Hash Tag? A hash tag is any keyword with a pound sign (#) directly before it. Hash tags can be used when
you search to find a more specific, refined set of results. When you use them in your own Tweets, it will help your
Tweets to be found by others searching for those topics. For example, you can simply reference HIE in your Tweet,
or you can put a pound symbol before it. If you turn that word into a hash tag, professionals on Twitter who use
Twitter often to find posts specifically targeted to HIE content will be able to find it much more easily, getting your
message out in front of them more quickly. You can also search for any hash tag on Twitter to see what activity is
currently going on surrounding that topic.
You can search and browse additional commonly used hash tags at www.Twubs.com. You can also find a lot of
hash tags related to healthcare topics, aggregated by Fox Group, LLC Consulting:
http://www.foxepractice.com/healthcare-hashtags
General Healthcare and Heath IT
#HealthIT – Healthcare IT
#HCSM - Healthcare Social Media
#HCMKTG - Healthcare Marketing
#HIMSS11 - Health Information Management Solutions 2011#ACO – Accountable Care Organizations
#MU – Meaningful Use
#HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
#5010 – HIPAA Version 5010 Electronic Healthcare Standards
th
#ICD10 or #ICD-10 – International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10 Revision
#HL7 – Health Level Seven International Interoperability Standards
#HIMSS – Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society
#HCIT – Healthcare IT
#MSHUG - Microsoft Health Users Group
#HIE – Health Information Exchange
#EHR – Electronic Health Record
#HealthReform – Healthcare Reform
Technology Providers
#Oracle
#IBM
#IBMPartner
#ILOG
#WebSphere
#SharePoint
#Siebel
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 9

10. Content Management
#ECM – Enterprise Content Management
#AIIM – Association for Information and Image Management
#EIM - Enterprise Information Management
#CMS - Content Management System
General IT
#Collaboration
#Cloud
#SAAS - Software as a Service
#EBI - Enterprise Business Integration
#SOA - Service Oriented Architecture
#ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning
#BI - Business Intelligence
#CRM - Customer Relationship Management
#PAAS - Platform as a Service
#BI – Business Intelligence
#MDM – Master Data Management
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 10

11. Lists of Healthcare IT People to Follow on Twitter
What is a Twitter List? Any Twitter user can create a list. This is simply a grouping of other users on Twitter, and
the list is named by the thing those users share in common. You can use a list to find great influential people within
an industry or solution area and follow them, or you can follow an entire list by visiting the list page. Below is a
collection of recommended lists created by other users in our industry, and you can find more Twitter lists by
searching on Listorious.com
Here are some lists that we follow, aggregating Twitter users who are influential in the healthcare technology
space:
Healthcare Specific
“Best Healthcare Folks on Twitter”: http://twitter.com/#!/ahier/healthcare
HIMSS 2011 Staff List: http://twitter.com/#!/HIMSS/himss-staff
HIMSS 2011 Attendees: http://twitter.com/#!/lizasisler/himss11
fInfluential Health IT: http://twitter.com/#!/eTrends1/influential-health-it
Health 2.0: http://twitter.com/#!/cwhogg/health20
eHealth: http://twitter.com/#!/staticnrg/ehealth
Doctors on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/hrana/twitter-doctors
General IT / Practices
Cloud People & Vendors: http://twitter.com/#!/utollwi/cloud-people-and-vendors
SAAS: http://twitter.com/#!/acce/saas
Enterprise 2.0: http://twitter.com/#!/SMartens83/enterprise20
Collaboration 2.0: http://twitter.com/#!/NorthstarNerd/collaboration-2-0
Technology Providers
IBMers: http://twitter.com/#!/eric_andersen/ibmers
Oracle: http://twitter.com/#!/eddieawad/oracle
SharePoint: http://twitter.com/#!/EricaToelle/sharepoint
Microsoft MVPs: http://twitter.com/#!/BrentO/microsoft-mvps
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 11

12. Using LinkedIn – in 9 Easy Steps
LinkedIn is a professional business networking site for current and past colleagues, business partners, vendors and
acquaintances to connect. It also provides communities for people of similar interests (called “Groups”) and a
forum for asking and answering questions or discussing projects, topics and trends. A prospect’s LinkedIn profile
may provide you with detailed information about that individual that may help you to foster the relationship.
Groups may help you to discover professionals within your areas of interest.
1. Fill Out Your Profile
a. Fill in your name, job title, location and industry
b. Fill in past jobs: Copy and Paste from your resume
2. Add Keywords
a. In the “Summary” and “Specialties” sections, use keywords that are commonly used in your
industry.
b. Add technical, analytical and leadership related qualities and skills:
c. Add keywords to your “Experience” associated with each job you’ve had.
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 12

13. 3. Add Contacts
a. Add by email, browse by company or school, and allow LinkedIn to make recommendations for
you, based on who you are already connected to:
4. Add Websites
a. Add links to your personal blog, your company websites, your blogs and Twitter profiles.
5. Join Groups
a. One of the most powerful tools available on LinkedIn is Groups. There are hundreds of thousands
of groups on LinkedIn, and many have thousands of members each. Browse the list of relevant
LinkedIn groups in future pages to help you find groups that you will find value in.
b. Start and join Discussions happening within groups:
c. Send invitations to connect when you talk with people in Discussions. This will help grow your
network.
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 13

14. 6. People and Company Search
a. Click on “Advanced” next to the Search box at the top right. You can utilize this feature to search
for job titles and roles within a company or a geographic region.
b. This feature allows you to learn a lot about a company’s structure, and individuals’ roles within
the organization.
7. Answer Questions
a. People use the Answers section of LinkedIn to pose questions about projects they are planning
related to partners, solutions and services they are considering. As an expert in your field, you
can answer these questions and begin to connect with others and grow your network.
8. Customize your page’s URL
a. LinkedIn lets you edit the URL for your page to include your name.
b. This allows you to use your LinkedIn URL on business cards, in email signatures, and other places.
9. Add Applications
a. Add applications such as Twitter, Blogs, Events, Slides from SlideShare and more.
b. Browse applications here:
http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=application_directory&goback=.prf_en*4US
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 14

15. LinkedIn Groups in Healthcare and Technology
You may be interested in some of the groups below, but you can also search for groups by topic or keyword using
LinkedIn’s search feature.
Healthcare:
Health 2.0 http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=80236
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=93115
Healthcare-IT/ EHR/ HIS http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=37886
#hcsm (Health Communications & Social Media) http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2334990
healthsystemCIO.com http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2687822
Also look for:
Health Informatics Technology, Healthcare Executives Network, Healthcare Technology Alliance,
Healthcare Information Technology, Health Information Exchange and Business Intelligence
General IT:
CIOs.com: Chief Information Officer Network http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=51825
IT Specialist Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=37485
The Enterprise Architecture Network http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=36781
Women in Information Technology Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2413721
Cloud Computing, VMware, Virtualization and Enterprise 2.0 Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=45151
Enterprise Application Solutions http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1219327
BPM:
Business Process Management Professionals Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=41075
BPM Guru http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=70120
BI/MDM:
Business Intelligence, Data Warehouse, Information Management, Data Governance, MDM
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=66416
TDWI's Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing Discussion Group
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=45685
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 15

16. Business Intelligence Professionals http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=40057
Data Warehousing (Business Intelligence, ETL) Professional's Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1783009
Enterprise Data Management http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=142267
CRM:
CRM Experts http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=43621
CRM Focus Expert Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=86337
ECM:
AIIM International - Enterprise Content Management Industry Association
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=39693
AIIM Network for Intelligent Information Management http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3698
ECM BPM Dematerialization http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3024
SOA:
Service Oriented Architecture Special Interest Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=36604
SOA professionals worldwide http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=67039
SOA Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=112133
SOA Service Oriented Architecture Technology Architects http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=113143
Getting Started in Social Media for Healthcare IT ♦ 16