Meticulous prep key to hospital’s network success

Swedish Covenant spent months ‘listening’ to online buzz while crafting its social media strategy

When Girl Scout cookies went on sale, folks following nutritionist Debbie Drewke on Twitter got an instant update.

“Girl Scout cookies are in circulation. Watch your intake! Walking or running 1 mile burns 100 calories.” Her next tweet reads, “2 thin mint cookies = 80 calories.”

How’s that for some dietary motivation?

Drewke is part of Swedish Covenant Hospital’s team of social media representatives. The team also includes Dr. Andy Sagan, who is a pediatrician, and Sherri Ruerup, a nurse specializing in midwifery. The three provide the public with medical advice and answer health questions through their Twitter, Facebook and blog updates.

The hospital’s communicators asked these clinicians to reach out to patients with posts beginning in February.

“We wanted to use social media to communicate with consumers, primarily to be accessible as medical experts and to provide health information,” says Leigh Ginther, director of marketing and public relations at Swedish Covenant.