Baylor Health Care System is dominating the Google+ Hangout scene.
Today, it hosts its fifth Google+ Hangout, dedicated to heart disease and awareness. Baylor Health Care physicians and a patient will
be joined by members of the American Heart Association. This is the first time Baylor has partnered with a nonprofit outside Texas for a G+ Hangout.
Today’s 30-minute panel begins at 12:30 CT. Representatives from the American Heart Association plan to talk about preventing heart attacks and disease.
Baylor physicians will discuss the symptoms of heart disease and heart attacks, as well as the latest in treatment options for heart disease. A patient who
had heart disease will share her story.
“It’s a really good online discussion about heart disease, focused on prevention,” says Ashley Howland, social media manager.
People tuning in on G+ can send in questions to Baylor’s Facebook or send tweets to #heartchat. If any
questions don’t get answered during the panel chat, Howland says, the team will respond later.
Howland says it’s important for hospital communicators to collaborate with other organizations.
“We want to offer people all sides of the story and bring in as many experts as we can,” Howland says.
Last week the panelists conducted a run-through of today’s event. An hour before the presentation, Baylor’s tech support team will test Internet
connections and sound equipment. Panelists will join the event about 20 minutes before it starts.
“We do the legwork and make it easy for our experts,” Howland says.
Doctors who are warm, personable, and good on camera have been selected to participate in G+ Hangouts. However, none of those participating in today’s
event has done a G+ Hangout before.
“I describe it as an online panel discussion,” Howland says. “Once you say, ‘Google + Hangout,’ people can feel overwhelmed.”
Baylor has been promoting the G+ Hangout with art on its Facebook page and on Twitter. The American Heart
Association bought promoted ads on Twitter and set up a Google+ page for the event. So far, more than 90 people have said they’ll tune
in—a number that floored Howland.
Google+ doesn’t tell you how many people watch the presentation, but automatically archives it on YouTube. That’s where Howland will be able to track its
numbers and continue to promote the discussion.
Coming soon, Baylor will conduct Hangouts about colon cancer and sleep training for infants.
“We’re learning how to use it better, the more we use it,” Howland says. “A big reason why we do these Hangouts is that we can provide good, educational
information to people—and they never have to leave their office.”