May 3rd SIG Event Interview W/Speaker Lynde O'Brien: Social Media Marketing for Healthcare

interview and post provided by Marilyn Canna, CAMA Blogger

These are heady times for the highly regulated industry of healthcare.  Rapidly changing technology.  More sophisticated information management systems.  And, new media tools for providers, payers, and patients to make sense of it all. 

Hear these top industry specialists discuss how their organizations have achieved success in social marketing this Thursday, May 3, at an event presented by the Healthcare and Financial Services SIG and sponsored by WBEZ. 

Currently an account executive with LinkedIn Corporation’s Marketing Solutions team, Amanda Juip, specializes in the healthcare vertical.  With a passion for digital and social media and significant corporate experience, she works with clients to develop effective marketing solutions within the LinkedIn platform. 

Marie Mahoney is senior director of Web and marketing communications at Rush University Medical Center.  Her team of writers, editors and Web professionals plays a key role in the medical center's integrated campaign for growth. 

Also at Rush, Deborah Song, associate director of media relations, manages the social media efforts for the media relations department and is a member of the social media team. 

Lynde O'Brien is director of electronic media strategy for Health Care Service Corporation, where, in 2008, she launched the social media initiative for Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.  She leads the cross-functional social media effort in content and adoption strategy, employee policies, and ongoing response and escalation processes. 

We caught up with Lynde to ask her what she’s looking forward to talking about on Thursday. 

Q: What were one or two of the challenges you faced when you launched the social media initiative in 2008?

A: Like many companies, we've found that quantifying the hard benefits is really difficult.  We've done a lot of work to establish the importance of the initiative in multiple and holistic ways while working to get better at tracking and measuring ROI.

Q: How have BCBS's social media policies kept up with technological changes?

A: We've been very lucky to be able to partner with our Information Security, Legal and Compliance teams since our 2008 launch and, more recently, to work closely with HR.  I'm quite obsessed with the foundational stuff—policy and protocol, the latest NLRB rulings, Online Reputation and Crisis Management.  We regularly revisit and update our employee policies and spend a lot of time trying to improve the awareness and knowledge of our workforce.

Q: What lessons do you hope the audience will take away from this event?

A: I think we're all beyond the "how to" phase of social media.  I'm really hoping for a great discussion on the value organizations have been able to realize by including social media as part of the communications mix. I feel like we have an interesting story to tell but I'm looking forward to hearing what the other panelists and attendees have to say about that as well. 

The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at WBEZ’s Navy Pier location.  Advanced registration is encouraged.  On-site registration is $20 for both members and non-members.  Click here for more information and to register. http://www.eventbrite.come/event/3019057081

The Healthcare and Financial Services SIG is one of 9 new CAMA special interest groups.  SIG events and activities are open to Chicago AMA members and non-members.  Visit the SIG website for news and activities or to join the group of your choice at http://www.chicagoama.org/chicago-ama-sigs .