THE BIOMEDICAL ADVICE ADVICE THE BIOMEDICAL 38 How to How to SCIENTIST 39

SOCIAL MEDIA TOP TIPS

 If you’re not sure for you, who to follow, If you’re using Twitter, which social media what to post and why. use hashtags to HOW TO… channel to use, set up For example, do you promote your posts so a dummy account and want to raise your people can find related try the channel for six professional profile, tweets – in our social weeks and see if you keep track of certain media posts we used like it. This will allow issues, or to just #DiscoverPathology you to have a look at share information? other accounts, see  Post regularly – even what’s being posted  When you find an if it’s just sharing and how others use account you like, ask information you’ve read the channel. yourself why you like on another post. it? Being able to Allocate time every day  Knowing what your pinpoint what you find or week to review social goals are will help you useful or interesting media activity and post, to determine which will give you ideas for share or add comments channel might be best your own posts. to other posts.

After creating videos to highlight ’s Be aware professionals, as well as the general public) Royal of Pathologists. Instead of As well as explaining the process, the If you want to get more involved in using are unaware of what happens in a offering money towards producing the videos also highlight and celebrate the role in patient care, Claire Kennedy and Rachel social media, find out if your organisation pathology . videos, the college thought it would be a many people involved in every test. This Berkoff explain why they used social media to has any social media guidelines or a social South West London Pathology applied really good opportunity to work on the was great for social media: focusing on media policy in place. This may give you for a public engagement grant from the project together. One of the things both the people in the lab, and why they were communicate their messages, and offer tips and advice about what to consider if you organisations were really keen to there, rather than just what they were advice on how to make the most of the medium. would like to use social media. It is likely highlight was the expertise involved in doing was a great way to engage with to cover what is appropriate and making diagnoses, and the role of our audience. inappropriate to post, which channels to pathologists in patient care. Many other We decided to use video as it is a quick ne of the key aims for many business leaders and academics that use and why. organisations also offer grants for public and descriptive way to explain what was people using social media is use social media. If your organisation doesn’t have any engagement activity, including the IBMS. happening. Video is particularly popular to engage and connect with Think about which social media social media guidelines, many on social media, and with regard to other people and share their channels you would like to use and why. organisations, such as Healthcare Achieving aims something like the laboratory, where the passions and interests. South West London Pathology uses Professions Council and NHS Employers, The aim was to use social media in an general public are not usually allowed Social media channels, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube as key have guidance. engaging way to raise the profile of access, it allows the viewer to see and such as Twitter, can also social media channels with the aim of Remember – any social media policy pathology and show how essential it is hear something they may not have ever be a fantastic learning and sharing information about pathology, will not cover every scenario, so think to the patient pathway. South West been able to. education resource. highlighting our work as one of the before you post. London Pathology regularly hosts public We have posted the first two videos OWhatever your interest in pathology leading NHS pathology providers in the When photographing or filming in a engagement events and provides onto our social media channels and we’re you will find someone on social media to UK, and as a recruitment tool. laboratory, there will be lots of patient laboratory tours to hospital staff, also aiming to reach a wider audience by connect with or to follow. You can follow The Royal College of Pathologists uses data. Make sure that none of it can be members of the public, students and VIPs. working with other NHS organisations, organisations, experienced pathologists Twitter, Facebook and YouTube as their seen before you post. These events always receive positive , health charities and local and biomedical based in the UK main social media channels to feedback and a video was one way to show health organisations to share and and abroad, as well as those just starting communicate to the general public as A collaborative project parts of a laboratory tour in a visual and promote the videos. If you would like to their professional careers. well as their members. A key objective of Up to 70% of all patient diagnoses depend accessible format. watch the videos yourself, just search Many healthcare leaders and the College is to help to explain to the on pathology, however, pathology is often The videos (still from which are #DiscoverPathology on Twitter. organisations have social media accounts, general public what pathology is, and why considered a “back office” service. pictured, left) follow each stage of the including the IBMS and its Chief it matters. Social media is a great tool for In addition, due to the sensitive and journey of the sample, from the courier Claire Kennedy is Communications Lead Executive Jill Rodney, and the Royal getting this message across by engaging confidential nature of the work, who brings the sample to the hospital, at South West London Pathology and College of Pathologists and its President with other relevant organisations and processing pathology samples takes place to the biomedical scientist who stains it Rachel Berkoff is Communications Jo Martin. In addition, there are many stakeholders and showing how pathology behind closed doors with restricted access. to the consultant who looks at it under Team Administrator at the Royal College high-profile scientists, politicians, can relate to these. Most people (including most healthcare the microscope. of Pathologists.