#hashtags and @handles: using social media to deliver current awareness TO health MANAGERS

Sian Aynsley, MSc MCLIP

Outline of session  Background  Putting the bulletin together  Response and reflection  Questions and suggestions for improvement!

Why health managers ?

 Health managers:  Unique information needs  Underserved in health settings  Short on time  IT literate, not necessarily information literate  Information needs:  Decision making  Strategic, tactical and operational initiatives  Clinical governance/clinical effectiveness  Chronic disease prevention  Disaster planning (e.g. pandemic flu) Workforce planning / staff support

Why social media ?

 “Real time” information  Wider audience  Evaluation  Interaction

Why a health management bulletin ?

 Objective:  To keep staff in management roles at the Trust up-to-date with new developments directly relating to their role and the effective delivery of patient care  Format:  Weekly email bulletin with no more than 5 to 7 news items + relevant statistics  Distribution:  Bulletin to be disseminated to relevant health managers at the Trust (Band 8+) and on Twitter

Why a health management bulletin ?

 Topics of focus:  Hospital management: administration, cost-effectiveness, financial efficiency, information relating to Foundation Trust status  Clinical management: infection control, statistical reports on key targets (A&E, waiting times, stroke, pressure area care, hip fracture, MRSA/C.diff, VTE)  Local issues: South East London, cultural/race diversity  Help with decision-making  Horizon scanning

Where does the information come from ?

 King’s Fund Health Management and Policy Alert  NHS Networks  NHS England  NHS Employers  Department of Health  Nuffield Trust  Royal Colleges  ...and more!

Anatomy of bulletin

Anatomy of bulletin

Document created in...

Long links converted to bitly

Bitly links copied...

...and pasted into Notepad

Notepad doc copied into email

Bitly links embedded – good to go!

Twitter feed created in Notepad Title shortened (where necessary), organisation Twitter handle included, bitly link and hashtag for bulletin (e.g. #LGTHMB37)

Our Twitter page

Share to Twitter via bitly

Search by bulletin...

Creating a bitly bundle

Adding links to your bitly bundle

Adding links to your bitly bundle

Sharing your bundle

Sharing your bundle

Things that have gone well...

 Regular update going out to health managers at the Trust from the library  Positive reaction  Highlight other resources  Regular updates on our Twitter account, more interaction  Can track links and see what is popular  Current awareness for the library!

Things that have not gone so well...

 Scandalous first issue!

 Difficult decisions  Twitter is blocked on all hospital PCs  Difficult to tell how well bulletin is being used and what it is being used for

Any questions

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Suggestions

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[email protected] @LGTLibrary