Why add #hcsmca to your tweets?
When I see a tweet that would interest the #hcsmca (health care social media Canada) community, I wonder why didn’t that person add #hcsmca to his/her tweet? Is this another manifestation of Canadian politeness?
Let me offer some guidance as to when (and why) you should add #hcsmca to your tweets.
- Share and inform: Tell others about the great stuff you’ve read or are doing. Use #hcsmca to exchange insights and experiences.
- Broadcast good stuff: Don’t be shy. If you’ve got something you want to get out there, leverage the #hcsmca community and the get the word out about your new initiative, your latest blog post or an upcoming conference or event.
- Ask questions: Adding #hcsmca to your question lets you tap into the collective intelligence of a community that is further reaching than any single set of followers.
- Request participation: If you’re looking for people to contribute comments, opinions or ideas, what better place than #hcsmca?
- Expand your network: Participate in #hcsmca conversations any time and find people you want to follow and be found by others.
These ideas were added by @AnnFuller via Twitter:
- Stay current.
- Crowd-source information (for example these additional bullets).
- Get new ideas.
“#hcsmca helps filter Twitter for the stuff relevant to me.” says Ann
Furthermore, by reading the #hcsmca stream, you also have the opportunity to listen and gain insights from people you may not normally have access to. #hcsmca is more than just a 1 hour chat. Add #hcsmca to your relevant tweets throughout the week too.
When do you add #hcsmca to your tweets? Show us examples of how the community works for you.
Trackbacks
- Twitter for professional development & collaboration… aka my Twitter “aha” moment” | SMiCH
- #hcsm #hcsmeu #hcsmeu etc. – Twitter discussions on health and social media « Public Health Science Communication 2.0
- Updated list of # Health Care Social Media discussions on Twitter « Public Health Science Communication 2.0
- Building community: Interview with Quinte Pediatrics « Colleen Young
- Twitter Chats Build Community – My Contribution to the Mayo Clinic’s New Social Media Book « Colleen Young
Colleen Young 
Thanks for articulating the power of health hashtags (impressive)
For me, another ‘value added’ – more like a gift: I have a Boston trip planned. Even more exciting than the purpose of the trip (to participate in a Foundation for Informed Decision-Making initiative) is to have tweeps to connect with – and that the healthcare # have given me the opportunity to get to know (and admire and respect) everyone. I mean: where else can ya get all this in 140 or less.
Kathy
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#hcsmca participants are a particularly generous, intelligent and supportive group… one I’m grateful to have stumbled upon! I’m guilty of forgetting to add the #hcsmca hashtag occasionally, but I’ll make a renewed effort now. Thanks for the reminder Colleen – great blog post!
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Thanks Anne, Kathy and Gretchen for your additions.
I failed to state in the original post that these benefits extend to all health hashtags. You can listen, share, reach and filter with specific groups in part defined by location, culture, language, disease or discipline. For a complete listing of all health hashtags, visit Healthcare Hashtags for Twitter http://www.foxepractice.com/healthcare-hashtags.
Colleen
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I confess, I didn’t really “get” the value of Twitter until I discovered #hcsmca. It was still a lot of noise to me.
But through #hcsmca I was able to get a lot of great information in a short period of time — lots of references and tools which really help us in our social media activities in the hospital.
So why do I add #hcsmca to my posts? Just in case someone can get something useful from it, like I often get from other people. Sometimes I feel awkward adding it on — because I think “why the heck would these people care about why I have to say”. But then I remember that the whole point of social media is to share out at least as much as you get in. So I throw things I there that I found useful, and hope that someone else finds them useful too.
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Thanks for your comment Ann.
I’m surprised to hear that you didn’t “get” Twitter until discovering #hcsmca. You use Twitter so deftly. A duck to water it appears.
Hashtags really help make sense of the conversations. I must confess that my first #hcsmeu Tweetchat was my “ah-ha” moment too.
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