Mayo Clinic: A Natural
Progression in Social Media
A Case Study with Applications for Cancer
Centers of All Sizes
Lee Aase
Manager, Syndication and Social Media
Mayo Clinic
April 27, 2009

Mayo Clinic’s Origin
http://tinyurl.com/32xbjx

Sources of Information Influencing
Preference for Mayo Clinic
Word of mouth 84
Stories in the media 57
MD recommendation 44
Advertising 27
2006 Study
Internet/Websites 26
Personal experience 24
Mailings to home 18
0 20 40 60 80 100
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Mayo Clinic Medical Edge
News Media Syndications
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Mayo Clinic Social Media Progression
• Reach people directly
• Started with Medical Edge
• Produce economically to fit each
medium
• Provide platforms for sharing
• Create outposts on popular sites
• Energize word of mouth
• Leverage social media with mass
media and vice versa
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First Foray in New Media
• Existing Medical Edge radio mp3s
• Launched Sept. ‘05; Downloads up
8,217 percent Oct. vs. Aug.

Step 2: More, Longer Podcasts
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Step 3: podcasts.mayoclinic.org
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10

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Key Tool: Flip Video Camera
• Affordable for all campuses (and you)
• Recording interviews (with tripod)
improves existing processes
• Authenticity without writer’s cramp
• Provides potential blog resources
• Audio of full interview
• Video excerpts
• Limited group of video editors to
ease adoption, ensure quality
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newsblog.mayoclinic.org
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Two Case Studies of Mainstream
Media Facilitated by Social Media
• Wall Street Journal Health Blog
• Pitched via Facebook
• Previewed on News Blog
• Embedded from YouTube
• CBS Radio Network
• Flip audio downloaded from news
blog made national network air
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Next Step: Launched Jan. 22
Sharing Mayo Clinic
• Gathering global Mayo community
• Patients telling their stories
• Employee bloggers recruited from
throughout organization
• Video profiles of patients/staff
• Hub to integrate Mayo social media
• Interactive companion to print edition
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Where Sharing Mayo Clinic Fits
• News Blog - Breaking research news;
“Hard” news - Like U.S News, Time
• Podcast Blog - Evergreen “news you
can use” - Like Prevention
• Sharing Mayo Clinic - Features;
behind the scenes at Mayo Clinic,
and stories from patients in their own
words - Like People
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Benefits of Sharing Mayo Clinic
Monthly Open Thread
• Patient stories most popular on .org
• Outlet for grateful patients who want
to tell their stories
• Prompts patients to think about
sharing stories
• Alerts us to great stories we may
want to feature in publications,
Medical Edge, media pitches
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sharing.mayoclinic.org
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Retroactive Roadmap and
Philosophy for Future
• Start with current activity extensions
or high-probability pilot
• External consultants and case
studies help build internal buy-in
• Build on success step-by-step
• Take advantage of cheap technology
• Facilitate with small core team, but
make social media everyone’s job
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Five High-Leverage, Modest Effort/
Expense Steps You Should Take
• Establish a Facebook Page
• Buy a Flip (or similar) video camera
• Create a YouTube channel
• Create a general news video blog
• Join Twitter personally, institutionally
• Total cost: Less than $300 + the
effort you expend
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What’s Next?
• Develop policies and training for
employees
• Encourage employees, patients to
engage
• Core team leverages efforts among
volunteers, enthusiasts
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For Continuing Education ...
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Contacting Me
• Google Lee Aase to find SMUG
• Twitter @LeeAase or @mayoclinic
• Friend me on Facebook
• aase.lee@mayo.edu
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