Presenting a case for why and how health care professionals can use Twitter to support their work and research interests

1. Why and How should I tweet?
Twitter for the Hesitant Health Care Professional
Selina Allu, MA
Knowledge Translation Broker
Division of Nephrology
@SelinaAllu
soallu@ucalgary.ca

2. I have no disclosures
CME Code
6097

3. Learning Objectives
1. Group poll
2. My Twitter journey (Knowledge Translation and Social Media)
3. Making a case for Twitter in Health
4. Twitter 101 (anatomy of a tweet, setting up an account, who to follow, what to tweet about)
5. How to be a Twitter Pro… fessional
6. Q&A
7. Resources you can use

4. 1. Group Poll
How many of you have a social media account?
How many of you have an ACTIVE Twitter account?
How many of you have a Twitter account?
What is your perception of Twitter?

6. Knowledge
Translation
Raising awareness
of research and
best practices
Facilitating the use
of those findings
2. My Twitter Journey ...

7. synthesis exchange application dissemination
the
healthcare
system
health
health
service
delivery
https://medium.com/knowledgenudge/what-we-mean-when-we-say-knowledge-translation-1f81d57d5143
Knowledge Translation (KT) 101

8. ME
POINT of Twitter

9. synthesis exchange application dissemination

11. Learning Objectives
1. Introduction and quick poll
2. My Twitter journey (KT and Social Media)
3. Making a case for Twitter in Health
4. Twitter 101 (anatomy of a tweet, setting up an account, who to follow, what to tweet)
5. How to be a Twitter Pro
6. Q&A
7. Resources you can use

12. Knowledge Translation is needed so
that society can benefit from
research
The Evidence-to-Practice Gap

13. It takes on average 17 years to get 14% of evidence into
practice/care delivery

15. Web-based
technology
Facilitate production
and dissemination of
information

16. Commonly used social media tools
Communication Blogging (WordPress)
Microblogging (Twitter)
Social Networking (Facebook, LinkedIn)
Collaboration Conferencing (Adobe Connect, Skype)
Wikis (Wikia)
Social News (Reddit)
Social Documents (Google Docs, Dropbox)
Multimedia Photographs (Pinterest, Instagram)
Video (YouTube)
Presentation Sharing (SlideShare)

17. Difference in Dr. Bertalan Mesko’s online activities
What would I do if… In 2000 Now
I need clinical answer? Try to find a colleague who
knows it
Post a question on Twitter
I want to hear a patient’s
story about a specific
condition?
Try to find a patient in my town Read blogs, watch
YouTube videos
I want to be up-to-date Go to the library once a week Use RRS and follow
hundreds of journals
I want to work on a
manuscript with my team
We gather around the table Use google Docs without
geographical limits
Social media and the digital health arena, Damian Roland (© Royal College of Physicians 2017)

18. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/res/mhr/if-res-mhr-kt-social-media.pdf

20. Consider joining Twitter….
Connect with other like-minded
clinicians
Expand your online presence
Inform and educate the public
Dispel misinformation, create
trustworthy content
Help patients navigate

21. Twitter is the first place where you see…
Breaking health news
Hear about new resources and
procedures
Hear about great case studies
Just-published research articles
For networking and collaboration
Learn about upcoming events
“Twitter is the #1 channel for sharing and
influencing” Helen Beven

22. Learning Objectives
1. Introduction and quick poll
2. My Twitter journey (KT and Social Media)
3. Making a case for Twitter in Health
4. Twitter 101 (anatomy of a tweet, setting up an account, who to follow, what to tweet)
5. How to be a Twitter Pro… fessional
6. Q&A
7. Resources you can use

23. Twitter 101 …

24. Twitter glossary
Tweet A message/post on Twitter
@ Used in tweets when you want to mention another user
Username Your identity on Twitter (created when signing up for a twitter account)
#Hashtag Used to highlight keywords or topics (#stroke – hashtags are searchable)
Link Hyperlink to a website (you can create a shortened URL link)
Reply A tweet posted in reply to another user’s message
Retweet Sharing someone else’s tweet (used to spread news, share valuable info
on Twitter)
Follow To follow someone on Twitter is to subscribe to their tweets (all their
tweets will appear in your Twitter feed)
Follower Another Twitter user who has followed you (they automatically see
anything you tweet)

25. Setting up a Twitter Account
Signup - https://twitter.com/signup
Why are you on Twitter? Description of yourself Picture of yourself

27. User’s
profile
photo
User’s real name
Twitter username
Date posted
Hashtag
URL link
Reply/Comment Retweet Like

28. “You can’t be
empowered about
your health if you
have incorrect
information”
Who to Follow on Twitter – “credible” Health celebrities

29. Who to Follow on Twitter – Top Academic Tweeters/Leaders
Search keywords (#) they use in their tweets

30. Who to Follow on Twitter – Academics in your area of research

31. Who to Follow on Twitter – Academic Press/Journals

32. Who to Follow on Twitter – Professional Organizations

33. Who to Follow on Twitter – Health Policy Journalists

34. Who to Follow on Twitter – Academic Institutions

35. Who to Follow on Twitter – Leaders promoting Quality Care

36. Who to Follow on Twitter – Patient Groups, Patient Advocates

37. Who to Follow on Twitter – Decision-and-policy makers

38. What can you tweet about?

41. How long as the # be around?
7 yearsA.
12 yearsB.
20 yearsC.
What is a #?D.

42. #OrganDonation
Hashtags (#) on Twitter

43. Hashtags (#) on
Twitter
HASHTAGS to link content to other
conversations and topics
Use HASHTAGS sparing (no more than 2 on
Twitter)

44. Use trending HASHTAGS
Event #’ss
Campaign #’s
Advertisement #s

45. Learning Objectives
1. Group poll
2. My Twitter journey (Knowledge Translation and Social Media)
3. Making a case for Twitter in Health
4. Twitter 101 (anatomy of a tweet, setting up an account, who to follow, what to tweet about)
5. How to be a Twitter Pro… fessional
6. Q&A
7. Resources you can use

47. Confidentiality and Privacy Settings
Public vs. private posts?
Are you representing an organization?
Are you inadvertently revealing personal information, or
information about others (e.g. images)?
Are your accounts secured (e.g. strong passwords)?

48. Do THIS…
Tweet regularly
Use images, videos
Answer questions (support with
sources)
Demonstrate interest, expertise,
passion
Know when to respond online,
offline
Promote your Twitter profile (email
signature, business card)
Any doubts/hesitation? Don’t
publish it.
Unfollow/Mute (uninteresting people)
Don’t do THIS…
Offer medical advice (or treatment
choice)
Do not reveal patient information
Argue with antagonists
Jeopardize your neutrality or
professionalism - you can opt out
of discussions

51. CME Code
6097
soallu@ucalgary.ca

52. Learning Objectives
1. Group poll
2. My Twitter journey (Knowledge Translation and Social Media)
3. Making a case for Twitter in Health
4. Twitter 101 (anatomy of a tweet, setting up an account, who to follow, what to
tweet about)
5. How to be a Twitter Pro… fessional
6. Q&A
7. Resources you can use

53. https://mdedge-files-live.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/files/s3fs-
public/Document/September-2017/2209OBG_Twitter.pdf
https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/guidelines_for_tweeting.pdf

54. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/res/mhr/if-res-mhr-kt-social-media.pdf

56. https://www.statnews.com/2015/12/30/18-twitter-feeds-health-
medicine/?utm_content=bufferfbe29&utm_medium=social&utm_source=
twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
https://thehealthcaremarketer.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/tw-mhealth13-
0212131.jpg

57. https://bcpsqc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Twitter-For-
HealthCare-Professionals.pdf

58. https://www.rcgp.org.uk/social-media